


Unexpected Enchantings

by Marvelousgameofdisneythrones



Series: The Ice and Wind Saga [3]
Category: Frozen (2013)
Genre: Attempted Rape/Non-Con, F/M, Family Angst, Kidnapping, Psychological Torture, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-13
Updated: 2015-02-17
Packaged: 2018-03-12 04:03:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 18
Words: 45,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3342941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Marvelousgameofdisneythrones/pseuds/Marvelousgameofdisneythrones
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There was once a prophecy, that a Storm King and an Ice Queen would rise. Through them, the peace would be restored. This is their story.</p><p>In Unexpected Enchantings, watch as the expanded royal family grows up and deals with family angst and new threats.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Daughter of the Fiery One

Three years had passed since the royal children were born. One to Nik and Elsa, and one to Kristoff and Anna. The world had quieted, but not yet stopped its rumblings; Granpabbie could still feel the threats. The peace was not yet safe, and would not be for some time.

But he was heartened; Bulda was learning well, as his chosen successor. One day, she would lead their tribe, and she would see the peace returned. Until then, it was his burden to bear, and he would do all he could.

-

"Anna, she's at it again!" Kristoff yelled from the nursery. Anna hurried down the hall, her skirts swishing as she ran; Klara, her daughter, was in danger of burning down the nursery. She stumbled into the nursery, and saw Kristoff frantically batting at flames on the rug. Klara stood off to one side, tears streaming down her face as she bawled; her sister and brother in law's son, Alek, huddled in a corner, waiting for the flames to pass.

Klara was three months younger than Alek, but looked a mixture of both her parents: her mother's slim stature and round face, and her father's dirty blonde hair and light brown eyes. She'd been born with magic, much as her Aunt Elsa had been; she'd shown signs early of possessing heat and fire magic.

"Klara!" she scolded. "You have to stop this! You can't just burn everything when you don't get your way!" With that, she grabbed a blanket from the wardrobe and threw it over the flames, smothering most of them, and helping Kristoff sort out the rest. 'Why did MINE have to develop powers?' Anna asked herself.

When they had the fire put out, Anna looked at Kristoff. "What brought this on?" she asked, a little afraid of the answer. At just over three years old, it didn't take much to bring out her daughter's fire powers, and she suspected this time was the same.

Elsa and Nik burst into the room as Kristoff was explaining. "We were all playing, and I went to stand up to go grab more blocks. Apparently," he frowned, "she didn't want me to. She started crying and little flames started shooting from her fingers. I moved Alek and started trying to put the flames out when I yelled for you."

Elsa held her arms out to Alek, and he ran to her. She scooped him up, hugging and kissing him. "Are you okay, little man?" she asked him. "Did cousin Klara almost get you with fire? Were you scared?"

He leaned back and looked at Klara, then back to Elsa. "No, mama. I not scared. Lara not hurt me," he told her in his broken sentences. Then he looked down at Klara again and shouted, "I love you, Lara!"

Klara smiled and waved. "I love you, Aiek!" she shouted back, then looked at her mom and dad. "I-I-I sowwie I burn wug," she said, hanging her head.

Anna knelt and hugged her daughter. "It's okay, baby girl," she said softly. "But we have to remember that when we're indoors, we have to be extra careful, okay?"

"Okay," Klara replied, sounding a bit dejected. A few tears slid down her cheeks.

Nik noticed, and knelt next to Anna. "Klara, how would you like to help me with a project? There are some used candles that need to be melted down, and the staff hasn't gotten around to it yet. Would you like to help me?" he asked. "You can practice with your powers." He looked at Anna and continued, "If it's okay with your mama, that is."

Klara looked up to Anna excitedly, the hope and joy almost bursting out of her. "Okay, you can," Anna answered. "But make sure you only melt them, we don't want another fire." Klara jumped and whooped, running in a big circle.

Nik rose and scooped up a laughing Klara. Then he turned to Elsa. "Are you going to ask your Aunt Elsa and Cousin Alek if they want to come along?" he asked Klara.

"Auntie Ehsa, Aiek, want to met candues?" she asked, that hope still in her eyes.

Elsa smiled and shook her head. "I can't, sweetheart, but Alek will. Won't you, little man?" He nodded his head enthusiastically, and Elsa handed him to Nik as well. She looked at her husband. "Make sure they're cleaned up before dinner," she warned him.

He leaned in and kissed her. "Don't worry, _minn elska_. They're in good hands," he replied, then headed for the castle crafters' rooms, where a giant pot of candles waited. Elsa watched them leave, smiling; he'd begun calling her 'my love' in old Norse a year ago, and she loved how it sounded when he said it.

She turned to her sister and brother in law. "Her powers grow every day, don't they?" It wasn't really a question, but more of a statement from Elsa. Her sister nodded, while Kristoff held his head in his hands where he sat on the bench. "She was always extra warm as a baby. At least we knew right away, with the flames on her sides."

"What did I do?" Anna asked, to no one in particular. "What did I ever do, who did I ever wrong, to end up with a child with powers? And FIRE, of all things! I grew up around ice and snow, we've dealt with storms, now I have to figure out how to raise freaking FIRE!" She was truly exasperated, and with decent reason.

Kristoff looked up at her, and smiled weakly. "Well, you always have been feisty and fiery. Maybe it just took root in her?" he suggested, verbally poking his wife. Anna shot him a glance that made him flinch.

Elsa giggled, then put her serious face back on. "Anna, at least you aren't alone trying to figure this out," she commented. "You have me, and you have Nik, to help when things start to get out of control. Please don't block us out. It was the worst thing our parents made me do, and while I don't blame them for their lack of knowledge, I do deeply regret it." She felt the tears well up as the memories sprang forth.

Anna smiled at her sister, then went to her and hugged her. "I'll never shut you out, Elsa." Leaning back and smiling, she continued, "Besides, I NEED you. Who else will be able to keep places from burning down until she can control it?" Both women laughed at that.

Kristoff rose and made for the door. "Well, since you two are having a sisterly moment, I'm going to collect my supplies. I have to go to work," he told them both. "Anna, come see me off in twenty minutes?"

"Of course, husband. As if I'd miss that," she told him, still smiling.

-

In the crafting room, Nik stood at a great kettle full of candles. Alek stood to his left, Klara to his right. "Okay, now imagine a fire under the kettle, then point your hand and release the magic," he told his niece. "But let it go slowly."

Klara nodded, and closed her eyes, seeing a big kettle like this one in her mind, and she raised her hand. After a moment more, she opened her eyes, called the fire magic, and released it into the wood, lighting the fire under the kettle. She squealed and clapped her hands in delight; from Nik's other side, Alek laughed and clapped as well.

Nik smiled. Of course, he knew she could light a fire; she'd already done that today. The fire was just to make others believe the candles were melted normally. Even with Elsa's powers revealed to the world, and his own being acknowledged or suspected in a few Kingdoms, he still wanted to try to protect his family as best he could. The fewer that knew about her powers for now, the better.

Now, he was going to test where her limits currently stood. "Very good, Klara. Let's try something different. I want you to close your eyes again. Good. Now, imagine the kettle getting hot, hot enough to glow red. Can you see that?" When she nodded, he continued. "Now, keep that image in your mind, open your eyes, and release your magic to make it happen."

The little girl did as she was told; after a moment, the kettle began to glow a dull red. Nik smiled; she couldn't do this a month ago. She would be incredibly powerful if they kept working with her. He just hoped she'd always remember that it was love that made these magics work right.

The screams of both kids brought him out of his reverie, and he blinked. The kettle had turned bright red and started to melt, and liquid wax was beginning to pour out. "Whoa, Klara, stop!" he shouted. When she did, he reached out and made a cooling rain over the wax and kettle, reducing the temperatures so everything stopped flowing.

He stood silently for a moment, and felt Klara tug on his pants. "Unka Nik, I in twouble?" she asked quietly as a tear formed in the corner of her eye. Alek stood beside her, shaking just a bit as he held her hand. At some point in the commotion he'd slid around to stand beside her.

Nik looked down at the two children and picked them both up, one in each arm. "No, you aren't in trouble," he began, chuckling, "but some people may wonder why the kettle is half melted." With that, he turned and headed toward the rooms he shared with Elsa, the two children in his arms. "For now, let's get you both cleaned up for dinner."

As he walked, Alek looked at him and asked, "Papa, why I not have powers?"

Nik teared up immediately, but tried not to let either child see. "Maybe you do, little man, and they just haven't come out yet. Sometimes it takes a while." It wasn't a lie. But deep down, he actually hoped his son wouldn't have powers; they were a burden, and made life even more perilous than it already was. He didn't want his son to have to face that challenge daily as well. Oh, sure, he and Elsa were using theirs for the good of the kingdom, but still...

His answer seemed to satisfy the boy's curiosity, though. "Oh. Okay!" Alek proclaimed, then went back to trying to grab and move things on the walls as they passed.

-

Magnar smiled as he watched his children. Rebeckha was doing fine with her studies, and she could now conjure small fireballs and magic projectiles. Even Halvor was doing well for an almost four year old. He had to start them early if they were to help him in his struggle against the light.

It was little Eliza who impressed him the most, though. She was not yet three, but could speak clear sentences and even change her appearance, though only when she was calm. She also had a knack for getting into and out of situations with little help. She was a crafty young girl, and she knew it, too.

His wife smiled from across the room, knowing what he was thinking. She'd trained him well, and was continuing to show the children the same lessons. As he watched her, he saw the grimace cross her face. He wanted to get her to a doctor, but she refused. She knew she was getting weaker, and seemed to accept that. It pained him that he may lose her, and soon.

Going back to his own thoughts, Magnar knew he'd have to bide his time. His family's power was growing, and would soon be strong enough to challenge and rule all. He would crush Nikolaus and his family, and take what should have been his.


	2. How Do We Explain?

They'd gone to visit Kristoff's troll family and asked what could be done to possibly rein in Klara's wild outbursts of flame. Granpabbie had looked her over, and concluded that, like Elsa and Nik, her powers would only grow. He insisted that a loving hand in teaching her to control her powers and use them wisely was the best plan, a plan they were already following.

Anna hadn't really taken that news too well. Oh, she didn't REALLY mind her daughter having powers. But she really wanted to stop having to throw clothes, rugs, or drapes away almost every day. Every time she thought about it, she'd get mad; it drove her crazy that there was nothing more they could do besides suffer through it.

She was beginning to understand why people had thought of her sister as a monster, and why a few still did. She couldn't allow that to happen to Klara. She didn't want her own daughter to experience the isolation and solitude her sister had faced. There just had to be something she could do besides keep her away from everyone.

She needed to release her frustrations, and what better way than a shopping trip to the markets? Kristoff was off harvesting ice, and Nik was busy working out trade agreements with Valsparta (whose envoy insisted he wouldn't deal with the Queen), so Anna had asked Elsa to watch Klara for a few hours. Her sister had hesitated, but in the end agreed to it. The last Anna saw, they were headed to the nursery with Alek to play for a while.

If she were honest with herself, she envied her sister and brother in law. Only a little, because raising a child was hard. But Alek was normal; he hadn't developed powers at all. And that little boy adored Klara. He was so totally unafraid of his cousin and the danger she represented. They fought and played together, and even during her outbursts he never flinched. In fact, the only time he cowered was when the adults started arguing and yelling. Klara had also never even come close to hurting Alek.

She now walked through the markets, perusing most of the shops. To her own surprise and that of all the shopkeepers, she hadn't bought anything yet despite having been there for hours. Even the different collections of chocolates hadn't caught her attention, to the dismay of the chocolatiers. She was disappointed; usually she found something to brighten her spirits, and almost always returned with chocolates for herself and Elsa. Well, okay, Elsa got whatever she didn't eat on the way home. She was about to turn back to the castle empty handed when a small, dark-skinned man behind a table caught her ear.

"Good afternoon, Princess," the old man spoke. "You appear to be searching for something. Perhaps I can help you?" His smile was genuine, even if his appearance was rather over the top.

Anna moved over to the man's table and looked over his wares. He had some fine fabrics, mostly silks, but a few others. One in particular caught her eye. "What's this?" she asked him, holding up a red material. It was light, but there was definitely something special about it.

"Ahh," the old man began, "that, my dear, is fire fabric." He quickly began to explain himself when she gave him a confused expression. "Oh, worry not: it doesn't light on fire, and is perfectly safe. In fact, it's called fire fabric because, in my homeland, men wear clothing of this fabric to combat major fires. It breathes, and is fairly light, but so far as we know it is impervious to flame."

The last bit intrigued her, and she found herself considering several possibilities. "I'll take a bolt of it," she finally told the man. "Call on the castle tomorrow morning, and you'll be paid your asking price."

He handed her the bolt of fabric and shook his head. "For the lovely Princess of Arendelle, the fabric is free. No charge." His smile was warm, almost charming.

Anna smiled in return, then hurried back to the castle. If this fabric was as good as the man claimed, she might have found a way to keep Klara from burning so many things. She certainly hoped it might at least slow the damage.

-

As Nik and Elsa laid in bed that evening, she could tell something was bothering him. When he was tired, he just held her. When he wanted some romance, he would be VERY clear with his hands. But when he was disturbed, his hands would wander along her side or her arm aimlessly, just as he was doing now. "What is it, Nik?" she asked him without moving. "I know when something's bothering you. Tell me?"

Nik sighed quietly, and his hand stilled. She lifted her head from his chest and looked at him while he stared at the ceiling; he wasn't going to be able to avoid this. She almost prodded him again when he spoke. "Our son asked me why he doesn't have powers," he whispered, a tear coming to his eye. "I didn't know what to tell him, so I said that sometimes they take a while to show up." He looked into her icy blue eyes then. "What do we tell him when he's old enough to understand that he just doesn't have any?"

She smiled, and leaned up to kiss him. "It's a bridge we'll cross when the time comes, my love," she told him. "Besides, he's just a toddler. They may still develop in the next few years." Her eyes twinkled in the dim lights, and her voice never wavered.

He smiled at her, his bluish green eyes still wet. "I'm glad you can see a hopeful side to this. But you know me, I like to be as prepared as I can be. I tend to make mistakes when I rush into things. You and Alek are a pair of a few exceptions." The love he felt for his family was laced throughout the words he spoke.

Elsa laid her head on his chest again, her smile fading slowly as her mind wandered. His concern was something she thought about every now and then as well. It was a question she feared, and she was glad he'd gotten asked first. "Honestly, I'm relieved he doesn't have any," she finally admitted to Nik. She felt him sit up slightly, and she sat up to meet his stare. "Life with magic has been so hard, Nik, more so for me than you. I wish our magic was still a secret, but there's little we can do about it now.

"But think about it. There are still those in the world who fear, or worse, hate magic, and may come after us. He's safer without magic. Even if someone came for us, Anna and Kristoff could take him and run, and be safe," she finished. She knew her concern was written on her face, and she wanted him to know how much she worried about it.

Nik smiled at her and then pulled her to him, kissing her. "Well," he whispered, "at least we're on the same page with this, _minn elska_."

She smiled at him, and returned the kiss. Then she laid her head back on his chest when he laid back, and closed her eyes, feeling his arms wrap around her. In a few minutes, they had both passed into sleep.

-

"Klara, sweetheart, you have to try these on!" Anna scolded her daughter, who was throwing a fit. Anna had brought in the new gloves she'd had made, even though it had taken several days, and was struggling to get them on Klara's hands. She already had the toddler in the clothes she'd commissioned.

"NOOOOO!" Klara wailed. "I no want goves!" she shrieked. She tried to run from her mother, but Anna was persistent. The gloves finally found their way around Klara's hands, and the girl slumped to the floor, crying as she flailed her hands.

"Oh it isn't that bad," Anna told the three year old. "Your aunt had to wear gloves for-"

"Anna, WHAT is going on here?" Elsa asked sternly as she stormed into the room. "And what in the world are THOSE?" she asked hotly, pointing at the gloves on Klara's hands, her eyes filled with rage. It took a lot of effort, but she managed to keep ice from forming on the floor around her.

Anna rose and stood her ground despite her sister's icy gaze. "I'm trying to protect the castle and the city!" she shouted at Elsa. "And besides, who are YOU to tell me how to raise MY child?"

"I'm your older sister, and someone who's been through this before, that's who! Gloves won't do anything but make her feel different and out of place in this world!" Elsa shouted back. "Do you really want her to end up feeling like I did for all those years? Will you risk her shutting us all out?"

Both women stopped and stared at one another. Anna was shocked Elsa had brought that up, even though she was right; Elsa was shocked the words had left her mouth, even though it was every bit the truth. They both looked away at the same time, and then noticed Klara was cowering on the floor by the couch, looking scared. They both knelt in front of her.

"Oh sweetheart," Anna started, "we aren't yelling at you. Mommy and Auntie Elsa just didn't agree on something. But we're both sorry for yelling," she paused and looked at her sister, who nodded, "and we both love you very much."

Klara held out her hands. "Goves no help? Take them off!" she whined. It was obvious she didn't like them, and Anna realized she probably wouldn't keep them on anyway.

Elsa reached out and slid the gloves off Klara, noting the new material they were made of. She glanced at Anna, then said to her niece, "Yes, we will take them off. If you decide you want them, I'll hang on to them. Just ask for them, and you can have them." Anna frowned, but didn't fight about it. Klara jumped up and hugged them both, then ran off to play across the room.

"Next time you get a crazy idea like this," Elsa warned her sister quietly as she rose, "come talk to me first. We shouldn't have had this argument in front of her. I'm sorry." She looked into Anna's eyes, a faint sisterly smile crossing her lips.

Anna stood and hugged her sister. "I'm sorry too. I thought I was doing everyone a favor; I didn't think about what it did to you. I don't want it to happen to her." She knew Elsa agreed with her on the last statement.

Elsa returned the hug, and the sisters smiled at one another. "It won't, as long as we work together on this. We can't make the mistakes of the past again." Then Elsa left, taking the gloves with her.


	3. Control Takes Time

Several weeks later, the two sets of parents were enjoying some time outside in the gardens of Stonewell, watching Alek and Klara play. The two children were running around and enjoying themselves, so the adults all started talking about other things, including as the ice trade.

"So, Nik, any chance we might see more mountain rains?" Kristoff asked, trying to sound casual about the situation, despite the concern on his face. "I noticed on the trip up that the lakes up there are getting shallow, and if it keeps up this trend we won't have much ice to harvest next year. It'd be devastating for the trade, as well as the kingdom."

Nik smiled, understanding what his brother in law was asking. He was looking for a more natural solution than just having Elsa create ice, because that would be the easy way and put men out of work, and she'd never fragrantly eliminate jobs; those men loved what they did, and keeping them working kept money in the economy. "Well, we could probably get some in the next week," he replied. "I'm presuming that the lakes need quite a bit of rain? Would a few storms over several weeks ensure the ice trade?"

Kristoff thought for a moment, then nodded. "I'm not an expert in math or weather, but I think that would do it. I'd love to see it happen soon, if at all possible." He looked hopefully at Nik, who nodded and smiled. No further words were needed; the Storm King would make sure the rain went where and when it was needed.

A sudden, shrill scream behind them made everyone turn. They saw Klara rolling on the ground, holding her knee; Alek stood on the edge of a fountain, looking down at her, a worried look on his face. All four parents jumped up and started toward them quickly.

Anna was the first to speak as they approached. "Klara? What happened, sweetie?" She went to kneel down just as Klara's powers lashed out, spreading flames all around the girl. Elsa grabbed her sister and pulled her back, simultaneously bringing up a short, smooth ice wall to stop the flames.

Nik, on the other hand, had pushed himself with his magic and jumped over the flames to grab Alek, the two of them falling into the water of the fountain just as the flames reached them; they sank before they were touched, and the flames passed them harmlessly. He quickly brought them both back to the surface and moved out of the fountain on the far side, making sure Alek was okay as they crouched behind the stone. Alek, completely unafraid of Klara's powers, first sputtered and spit up water, then giggled and laughed at the tumble in the fountain.

Kristoff had ended up behind Elsa's ice wall; being the slowest, he hadn't quite kept up with the group. He now stepped around it, heading toward his daughter slowly. "Klara, sweetheart," he said softly. "Let us help. What happened to your knee?" He was moving forward in a crouch, ready to dodge if the worst happened.

Through her sobs, Klara got out, "I hit the foutan! My, my knee hurt! I chase Aiekk—" Suddenly a burst of power shot from her hand as she pointed, fanning out. Kristoff ducked and rolled backward, narrowly avoiding being burnt. He laid still on the ground for a moment after the flames passed, breathing hard and trying to slow his heartbeat.

Anna watched Kristoff dive for the ground, then moved toward her daughter cautiously; she had an idea. "Klara, baby, I love you," she said as she crept toward her daughter. "I want to help you. Your knee is hurt. Can you calm down enough to let mommy look at it?" She never stopped moving toward her daughter, despite the danger to herself.

Klara calmed a bit, her crying getting softer, slowly becoming just a whimper. Anna made it to her and knelt, slowly pulling the girl's hand away. It wasn't that bad, just a scrape, but enough to hurt. "Oh sweetheart. That looks like it hurts. Can mommy take you in and clean you up?" She smiled lovingly at the injured girl, hoping to stop any more outbursts.

Klara nodded, and Anna reached down to pick up her daughter. She accidentally bumped the scrape, and Klara screamed again; a ring of flames shot out around her, and Anna instinctively turned her head and brought up her hands. The flames washed over her, and her hands and arms took the brunt of the heat, though her hair and clothes also caught. She rolled away from her daughter and sprawled on the ground. 

Elsa couldn't catch the sudden outburst, but she did manage to create enough snow to put out the flames; Anna felt the cold, and tried to grab for some, though the burns made her groan in pain.

When Anna screamed, Klara stopped and looked at her mom. Seeing her laying on the ground, she went to her mother. "Mommy? Mommy! I sowwie! I sowwie!" The little girl knelt and started to cry in earnest, her knee forgotten.

Anna managed to relax enough to get the pain of her burns to subside, then rolled to her daughter. "It's okay sweetheart. It wasn't on purpose," she said quietly. "But you just hurt mommy. You have to make sure that when you love someone, you don't hurt them." With that, she rolled back over, groaning. Kristoff went to her and checked on her burns, calling for a doctor.

Klara looked at her mother, then turned to her aunt. "Mommy says not hurt people we love?" she asked Elsa, tears in her eyes. When her aunt nodded, the girl asked, "How?" Her wide eyes and innocent expression spoke the thoughts her toddler vocabulary couldn't express.

Elsa knelt and hugged her niece as the doctor arrived to inspect Anna's burns. "By always remembering that we love each other. We can't be afraid, and we can't let ourselves lash out. If you want, I'll try to teach you." She pulled back and smiled down at the girl, trying to reassure her.

Klara nodded. "I no hurt mommy again. I no hurt anyone." She leaned forward and clung to her aunt, a few more tears sliding down her cheeks.

Elsa hugged her in return. "Well, there will be accidents, sweetheart. But as long as we don't do it on purpose, then we're making progress." She picked up Klara and moved near Anna. "We'll watch her, Anna. Kristoff, do whatever the doctor tells you is necessary." With that, she joined Nik around the fountain, who had picked up Alek to keep him out of the doctor's way.

Nik looked to Elsa. "What can we do to prevent this in the future? It's going to be really hard." He was frowning; fire was dangerous, and even with his ability to make rain and Elsa's snow, burns could still happen in the blink of an eye. They'd just had a devastating reminder of that.

Elsa met his eyes and smiled. "Anna somewhat figured that out, or at least found a partial solution," she told him. "She found a special fabric that's resistant to flames. We'll need to track down whoever sold it to her, and ask for more. We can at least outfit our staff and Anna and Kristoff with clothes made from it."

Nik nodded. "That'll certainly help. It's too bad our tapestries aren't made from that stuff." He smiled when he heard Elsa giggle. "Oh well, such is life with an enchanted toddler."

The two of them put the children down and ushered them to the nursery while Kristoff carried Anna to their room, followed by the doctor. Alek looked after his aunt, then turned to Klara. "You stay wif me til Aunt Anna all better? Yay!" He was excited to get to spend more time with his magical cousin.

Nik and Elsa exchanged glances, then shook their heads; the only one who didn't fear what Klara could do, and indeed trusted her the most, was a person who couldn't comprehend the depth of her power. "I guess we could all use a lesson from Alek," Nik observed quietly. "He's completely unconcerned about her. If he's so sure, why can't we be?"

"Because," Elsa answered in a whisper so the children couldn't hear, "I was taught to fear my powers, and you were taught to hide yours. How else are we going to react? The important part is that we try not to teach them those same lessons." She met his eyes, her icy blue eyes conveying just how much she believed her last statement.

Nik nodded. "You're right. We have to make sure that they never fear her powers, regardless of how strong she becomes. And we can't fear her ourselves. Let's hope we're successful." With that, they finally entered the nursery, and sat down with the children to play.

-

That night, Nik woke with a shout. Elsa sat up beside him, staring at him sleepily. "What is it, Nik? Another one of those dreams?" she asked, her words slurring slightly as she came to.

He nodded slowly. In his dream, the world had shaken, and a giant grey beast had risen to battle. It looked as if it were made of stone, and towered over everything. "Yes. But I'm fine. Go back to sleep, love." He sat up for a while after she laid down, trying to forget the dream. After a time, he laid back down, and sleep finally took him.

A few hours later, he woke again from a version of the same dream. Elsa didn't wake this time, so he slowly climbed out of bed and walked out to the balcony, looking out over the city and countryside. He'd always loved the view, and night was just as spectacular as day. There was only one place with a better view in the entire castle.

Moving back inside, he pulled on his pants, left a quick note for Elsa in case she woke, and left the bedroom for his destination; the castle watchtower. It was his favorite place to think and reflect, as it was quiet and rarely used unless the castle was expecting attack. The last time it had been used, aside from a cleaning, was during Harold's siege.

As he made his way to and then climbed it, he thought back on the dreams. They'd begun shortly after Alek was born. At first they had just been a disturbing dream, but they were progressively getting worse, and more vivid. He'd told Elsa about them, but it didn't seem to help much. Nothing did but time.

He reached the top and walked to the low stone wall around the perimeter of the watchtower. There, he looked out over everything; at two hundred feet up, the view was spectacular. On a clear night like tonight, he could even see the lights of Karland in the distance. Any breeze was much stronger up here, but it didn't bother him. He loved the cool air as it wrapped around him.

Nik didn't realize how long he'd been standing there until a pair of hands slid around his waist, and a body pressed against his bare back. He caught her scent and smiled; Elsa had come to join him. "I'm sorry to worry you, _minn elska_. I just needed the cool air," he told her quietly.

She smiled and nodded against his back; she doubted she'd ever stop enjoying being called that. "I know. I wish there was something I could do to make you forget these dreams. Perhaps we should go see Granpabbie about them," she suggested. It worried her that the dreams were getting stronger; it made her think a threat was coming for them.

Nik turned in her arms and put his own around her, then leaned down and kissed her. Noticing she was in little more than her robe, he smiled. "I have a better idea, and something much quicker." With that, he moved her away from the edge and laid her down. What they did next made him forget the dreams that night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, to keep the main Parts of the Saga rated no more than T, some intimate details have been left out here. To enjoy them, head over to chapter four, 'Taking It to New Heights' of 'Rushed Wedding, Unrushed Love' to see how well Nik forgot his dreams that night.


	4. Five Years Old, and Old News

It was springtime in Stonewell.

Nik and Elsa sat on their chairs on the dais in the throne room, listening to several northern petitioners. Johan, as the Warden of Stonewell, stood close by, his old instincts as Nik's Captain of the Guard still deeply engrained. The most recent petitioner had a grievance against the wild folk along the northern border of the Kingdom.

"Our livestock keeps coming up missing. We've scouted the surrounding areas, and have found no unusual signs of extra animal activity. We can only presume it's the wild folk," the petitioner explained.

Nik sighed; he'd known this was becoming a problem. What to do about it though, was something he still didn't know. "I will send word to the commander of the outpost. We will add additional patrols, and try to reach more permanent agreements with the wild folk," he began.

The Lord who presided over those petitioning for help balked and interrupted. "But sire, we should simply stomp these wild folk into submission! Make them live by our laws, make them—"

"No!" Nik thundered. "The Northern Alliance and Arendelle have seen enough war and bloodshed for a few lifetimes. I will NOT send troops past our borders to attack people who are scratching out a living off rocks! Besides, there are more than wild folk, wolves, and bears in the north country that can make off with livestock. We will increase patrols and be more assertive in our negotiations with the wild folk. If you cannot abide by this decision, I'll find someone who CAN. That is my final command on the matter," Nik said, effectively ending conversation on the topic. The Lord in front of him paled, then bowed and turned to leave, walking slowly away. It may not have been the King's best decision, but given the information he had, it was the only one he could make.

Aaron, the Scribe of Stonewell, cleared his throat and spoke from his station. "Your Majesties, the next item regards a letter from Valsparta. Their King would like to arrange a marriage between your son and—"

"NO!" Nik shouted, interrupting him. His anger over a suggestion of war still festered, and it spilled over on this topic. "I will NOT arrange a marriage for my son, nor anyone else if I can avoid it! That was my father's tradition, and I will follow it!" Beside him, Elsa nodded in agreement, though she glanced at Nik with a concerned expression on her face.

"As you command, sire," Aaron replied calmly; he knew the Storm King's temper was short, and tried to diffuse the situation. "How would you like the denial letter worded?" He suspected he knew what his King would say, but felt it appropriate to ask.

Nik looked at the Scribe coldly. "The words I would write are not suitable to be spoken in this nor any other room, though they would effectively express my feelings in the matter. Choose the words for me, Aaron," he said with a strong edge to his voice. The Scribe nodded respectfully, then sat to make a few notes.

Elsa reached over and whispered in her husband's ear, "My love, we've been at this for quite some time, why don't we retire for the evening? Your temper is starting to flare." She motioned toward the window, where a few dark clouds could be seen rapidly forming.

Nik thought for a moment, then nodded, taking her hand and pulling her up as he stood. "The Court will adjourn for the evening," he addressed the crowd. "We will hear more petitions on the morrow." The assembly bowed as he and Elsa strode from the throne room, headed to their suite of rooms and the nursery where little Aleksander played.

-

Nik and Elsa talked as they walked to their rooms. He couldn't help but smile at her as he admired her face. She always had a way of calming him rapidly, no matter how far his temper had risen, no matter how close he feared he was to losing himself to anger. He had a hard time believing they'd already been together nearly six years. He regretted not giving her a better wedding, but with the turmoil surrounding both their kingdoms at the time, they'd had no choice.

Young Alek was a happy outcome of that adventure. He still hadn't developed any magical powers, and both he and Elsa had admitted to one another that they were relieved; their son wouldn't be the target of those who hate magic. Alek had asked why he didn't have powers a few times, but he still wasn't old enough to fully understand that he may never develop them, even at five years old. Someday they would explain that to him, but not yet.

As they approached the playroom, they felt the hallway shake coupled with a sudden blast of heat, and heard Alek shouting. They looked at one another with concern on their faces, then ran into the room to find him and Klara locked in combat, and the room full of smoke and littered with both burnt and unburnt toys.

The wall smoked from where she'd just thrown a small ball of fire toward Alek. He'd dodged the burst, and rose up throwing toys and cushions at her to keep her off balance. Nik had to admit that, for a boy with no magic, he was certainly brave to take on someone who did. He WAS curious, though, as to what brought on this particular fight. They fought like siblings, growing up so closely.

Elsa was the first to react. "What's going on in here?" she demanded of the children, using her icy powers to extinguish the flames. Nik and Elsa had agreed to bring Klara along on this trip without Anna and Kristoff for several reasons. For starters, they were running out of draperies to replace those the girl had burnt back in the palace at Arendelle, and they were having trouble getting enough of the fire fabric Anna had found a few years ago. The girl had a temper, and too often let it take control. This trip also provided an opportunity for Klara to practice with her powers and learn to control them, along with giving Kristoff and Anna some time to themselves.

The two children both stood and faced the adults, fingers pointed at one another. They each blamed the other for starting the fight in unison. This started a whole new brawl as Alek lunged at Klara, pushing her hard and causing her to stumble and fall. 'Our son,' Nik thought, 'has a temper as well.'

As Klara rose and turned to fight some more, Elsa threw up a wall of ice between them. "That's ENOUGH!" she and Nik exclaimed at the same moment. Both children stood, hands at their sides, heads hung low. "Alek, you know better than to fight with your cousin. And Klara, your powers are NOT to be used to beat up on others," Elsa finished, her own temper flashing. "Now both of you, to your rooms!"

Both children moped toward their rooms, each muttering something about how it wasn't fair that they were in trouble. As a final gesture of defiance, Alek stuck his tongue out at Klara when he reached his room, across the hall from hers. Nik and Elsa each pushed a child into a room and closed the doors quickly before anything else was burnt.

-

Early the next morning, Nik woke with a start. He'd dreamt that the world had trembled and shook to the face of some kind of giant monster. It had risen up from the ground, made completely of stone. He'd woken so quickly that he didn't remember what happened next in the dream. He looked to his right where Elsa was curled up beside him, smiling peacefully in her sleep; thankfully, she hadn't been woken by his dreams. He sat up slowly, trying not to wake her now. As he looked around the room, something seemed off. He looked at his nightstand, noticing that the book he'd been reading last night was now on the floor. He bent to pick it up, thinking to himself that he must have knocked it off while dreaming. Even then, he felt like something wasn't right.

He rose slowly, intending to slip in some sword practice before he had to sit in that chair again this afternoon. That typically helped him shake this feeling. He'd woken from a variation of that dream several times during the night, and that only added to his unease. Elsa stirred but remained asleep, so he left her a quick note, then dressed and headed for the practice yard in the predawn light.

In the yard, he found both his brothers practicing. Nik smiled as he pulled a practice sword from the rack and strode to them, joining the ring of his blade to theirs. The angle of the sun reflecting off their armor made it more difficult, but then, a battle should never be easy. A challenge was just what he needed this morning, and both Johan and Aksel were more than happy to oblige him, making him work for every stroke. They went on like this for a few hours, and Nik managed to lose himself, and the feeling of unease, at least for a while.

-

Elsa woke an hour after he did, noticing the bed cooling from Nik's absence. She sat up and looked around, and found the note on her nightstand. Hearing Nik and his brothers shouting and the sound of ringing steel drifting in the open window, she knew exactly what it said; she didn't even have to read those notes most of the time.

She also knew he hadn't slept well. He always went to the yard to practice when he slept fitfully. He'd started having those dreams years ago, and they still continued to this day. She didn't know why he would have bad nights, but his sword exercises seemed to help him shake it better than talking about it, so she didn't worry about it much. They'd tried talking about the dreams for a while, but they were rarely the same aside from a giant grey monster, so they'd given up trying to figure out what they meant, agreeing that they were just disturbing dreams that came and went.

Elsa climbed out of bed and dressed for the day, then began packing some things. This was to be their last day in Stonewell before they returned to Arendelle, and they'd be leaving tomorrow morning. As she packed, she noticed some of the paintings on the walls were slightly askew. She straightened them, then made a mental note to have someone check the mountings out to find out why that kept happening. It wasn't a major issue, more just an annoyance, but she always noticed it on mornings after Nik slept fitfully. She couldn't help but think the two were connected, though how, she couldn't fathom.

She put the matter from her mind and headed out to find the children. She found them right where she expected them, in the dining room, making short work of the breakfast the cooks had prepared. Sitting down with her own plate, she smiled as the two youngsters laughed and discussed what they were going to play at today; apparently whatever caused the fight last night had been forgiven and forgotten. Elsa loved having the two of them around, because it gave her an excuse to relive the childhood she'd been forced to give up after the accident with Anna. It was even more fun when Anna was with them as well, because it was almost as if they hadn't grown up at all. She resolved to spend the morning with the children, supervising and probably playing right alongside them.

-

The blonde woman entered her home In Valsparta quickly, bringing her purchases into the kitchen. The house was quiet as she put dry goods in the cabinets, and cold items in the icebox. When she finished, she took the other items she'd bought into her sitting room, placing the books and toys around the room. She loved spoiling her son, and the money she made from renting rooms of the large house she owned made it possible. She thought back over the last few years; she'd been forced to spend her savings to buy the house outright when her stipend was cut off, but it had kept her and her son in their home. Now, it was their best source of income.

When she finished arranging everything, she paused and checked the time; her son should've been home from school by now. "Where is that boy?" she muttered to herself as she searched the house. When she didn't find him inside, she went out the front door and began searching the property. "Haakon? Where are you?" she called repeatedly.

A noise from behind the wood pile caught her attention, and she slowly made her way around it. There she found her son, sitting with his head down, crying. In his hand he clutched a series of papers; on one, she saw a picture of a familiar face. He didn't resist when she took the paper, and she immediately knew why he was upset. The caption under the picture was only a few words, but they were words she never wanted her boy to see, and that she certainly didn't believe herself.

She knelt next to him and pulled him close. "My boy, don't fret," she told him in a soothing tone. "Those papers are full of half-truths and outright lies about your father. You cannot believe everything that's put to paper." She lifted his chin and smiled, making him look at her. "You must always remember that history is written by the victors; that is something your father told me many times."

He sniffled a few more times, then wiped his eyes and nodded. "They teased me at school, mama," he told her. "They said I looked just like him, and so I must BE just like him. They called me...they called me a monster!" He broke down again, wailing.

She pulled him close. "Oh, my son, you are no monster." She held him for a long time until his tears finally stopped. When they did, she pulled away. "Now, why don't we go make dinner? I'll even let you do most of it!" He jumped up quickly, excitement creeping into his face, and darted inside.

She followed more slowly, making sure to drop the papers into the trash. As she closed the lid, her dead lover's face stared up at her, his red hair and green eyes shining as he smiled, his sideburns framing his handsome face. Beneath the picture, the caption read: 'Evil Incarnate: Northern King Slays Monster of Southern Isles.'

Where his school had found those old papers, she didn't know, but she would be discussing the matter with the Headmaster tomorrow.


	5. Birthdays and Old Visitors

It'd been some time since anyone besides Kristoff and Anna had visited. Bulda wasn't sure what was going on, and she approached Granpabbie about it. "What is it that makes them stay away?" she asked the older troll.

"Many things, Bulda," Granpabbie replied slowly. "Life, mostly. They have their hands full trying to keep the peace, and raise the children. Threats have been coming to them, and another approaches. This threat is more difficult to see; it is shrouded in mists, but it is there all the same. I hope the King of Storms and Queen of Ice are prepared."

"And if they aren't?" she asked, not sure she wanted to know the answer. "If they fail? I cannot see that in the skies."

Granpabbie looked at her, a grave expression on his face. "If they fail, there will be no future to see." He curled into a boulder and rolled away, leaving her alone with those ominous words.

-

Nik slid into the bedroom silently, not wanting to be caught by Elsa. Tomorrow was her birthday; he'd gotten her a gift, and he didn't want to ruin the surprise. He also didn't want to wait until her birthday. When it came to her, he was quite impatient. Whenever he saw her or thought of her, his pulse quickened, and his stride increased; she was his purpose, even after nine years, and he wanted to spend every moment with her. It wasn't always possible, but a man can dream, right?

He heard her in the bathroom, cleaning up after their rather long day. Court in Arendelle had drug on all day, even after having started early; an envoy from Valsparta had refused to relinquish the floor for several hours while he prattled on about the proposed union between themselves and Arendelle and the Northern Alliance. It wasn't going to happen; neither he nor Elsa believed in arranged marriages, and wouldn't set one up for any member of their family. Neither of them understood why Valsparta kept trying, as they'd been told this repeatedly for years.

He crept to her vanity, where he knew she'd go once she finished in the bathroom. She always put away what little jewelry she wore, aside from her wedding ring; that NEVER left her finger. He loved that, and he never removed his either. He'd once told her that he'd have to lose his hand before he took that ring off. Smiling at his own thoughts, Nik reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box; inside was the new gift he'd had made for her, one that he hoped she'd like.

As he slipped back out of the room, he thought back to the first gift he'd given her: a small snowflake pendant, dangling from a chain. She still wore it quite often, and claimed it was her second favorite piece of jewelry. Nik smiled; he was very glad he'd chosen that birthday gift for her nine years ago. The events over the following few months had changed their lives forever, but he still believed it'd been worth it in the end.

He moved down the hallway, intending to give her a few minutes before he returned. A quick check on his son would be long enough. "Alek? Are you ready for your mother's birthday tomorrow?" He heard the laughter when he reached the boy's door, and paused. A smile crept onto his face as he heard his son and niece talking quietly. Nik opened the door quickly and stepped inside. "And just what kind of mischief are you two plotting tonight?"

Klara and Alek spun toward the door, the project on his desk momentarily forgotten. "Sheesh, papa, don't DO that to me!" Alek complained, then turned back to the item on his desk. "Klara's just helping me with a...surprise...for mama." He held up a part of it in his gloved hand, and had Klara heat it up; he then bent it to the shape he wanted, and attached it to a place she'd heated on the main section.

Nik moved over to stand beside them, looking over what they were making. He was impressed with what he saw. Sure, it wasn't perfect, but for a pair of eight year olds, it was fantastic; it was a miniature model of the castle in Arendelle. What was more, they'd sculpted and painted miniaturized versions of everyone in the family, skating on ice in the courtyard. Even Olaf and Sven were present. "Wow, son. This is incredible. Will you have it done for tomorrow?" he asked, the pride coming through in his voice.

Alek never looked up, trying to get the snowflake he was working on just right. "I hope so. Klara has been a huge help. I'd never have been able to keep it a secret if not for her."

Klara smiled and blushed. "Oh whatever, Alek. You're doing most of the work. I'm just heating up metal for you," she responded as he held out another piece for her to heat. His trust in her control was so great he didn't even watch where she was heating.

"So," Nik asked, "what is this, besides a model of the castle?" He knew his son wouldn't just give Elsa a model for her birthday; there had to be more to it.

Alek attached the piece he was working on and smiled at his father. "Oh, this is the best part. Watch," he said as he reached behind it and wound a small key. He then opened the top of the castle to reveal a jewelry box; as he opened it, music began to play, and the figures began to move around the courtyard. "I hope she likes it."

Nik smiled, his eyes wet with prideful tears. "Alek, Klara, I don't know how or when you two learned to do this, but Elsa will absolutely love it. I promise not to tell her and ruin the surprise." He glanced at the clock, noting that his few minutes where up. "Speaking of, I need to go check on her. Don't stay up too late tonight, you two," he warned as he left the room and headed back toward Elsa.

Oh yes, she would definitely love that gift.

-

Elsa left the bathroom wrapped in just her robe, her damp platinum hair cascading over her shoulders. She was sore; it'd been an incredibly long day, and that man from Valsparta had infuriated her. He'd pushed so hard for an arranged marriage between her son and some Prince's daughter. It wasn't going to happen, at least not that way. Oh, sure, she and Nik would let Alek meet the girl, and if they decided to marry when they were of age, so be it, but it wouldn't be arranged. They'd finally convinced the envoy to leave and relay their latest denial to his King.

When she sat at her vanity to put away jewelry, she saw the box. 'What's this?' she thought to herself as she picked it up. It was plain, and black; it also hadn't been there before she went into the bathroom. Turning it over in her hands, she hesitated. She knew it was from Nik, but was he finally deciding to test her patience? He knew she was impulsive, and this could only be a birthday gift. Surely he wouldn't give it to her early?

'Oh, why not? I can always put it back,' she thought to herself. Slowly opening the box, she found a small, folded piece of paper. Opening that, she read the words Nik had written:

'My lovely Elsa,  
I know you think this is probably a test, but I couldn't wait. I want you to have this gift now, and wear it tomorrow.  
I love you with everything I am,  
Nik'

A tear formed in her eye, and she set the note aside. She didn't know how she'd been so lucky when he came into her life, but she was so very glad he did. He'd changed so many things for her, and never flinched whenever her control DID slip, which wasn't often anymore. Anna's love had unlocked the secrets of her powers; his had helped her arrange those secrets.

Moving the tissue paper in the box, her heart fluttered. It was a new necklace, with a different looking pendant. It looked like a snowflake, but with a small storm engraved inside it. Inscribed around the edge on both sides, it read, 'I Will Love You Until the Last Storm Ends and the Last Snowflake Falls.'

Elsa sighed happily, her eyes wet with tears. She heard the door close and looked into the mirror; Nik had snuck in while she was reading, and chose now to let her know he was there. She rose and went to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him. He held her as she shed happy tears. "It's beautiful, Nik," she told him. "Thank you so very much. I love you."

He smiled and held her tighter. "And I love you, Elsa." Taking the necklace from her, he put it on her and settled it into place. "Remember, I mean every word I say or write. And I mean exactly what that inscription says. Until the last storm ends, and the last snowflake falls, I will always love you." He cupped her chin in his hand, and she lifted her eyes to meet his. When he spoke again, his eyes twinkled, and his voice had a mischievous edge to it. "And, since tomorrow is your birthday, I thought we might enjoy tonight, in any way you'd like."

She stood silently, contemplating his words for a moment when an idea struck her. Her return smile was just as mischievous as his voice. "If you really think you can handle what I have in mind, then let's get started." They spent the rest of the night finding out.

-

A month later, another ship sailed into the harbor at Arendelle flying the flags of Valsparta. This time, the passenger was none other than the Prince himself, one Balthazar Fangold. Accompanying him was his daughter, Rosalyn, whom he deeply desired to arrange a marriage for. His young son was to be heir once he sat the throne, but his daughter needed somewhere to call home. He couldn't understand why King Nikolaus kept refusing their offers; Valsparta was rich and powerful, and would make a great ally for Arendelle and the Northern Alliance.

Sure, Valsparta's King, his father, had chosen poorly when aligning the kingdom with Hans and the Southern Isles years ago, but he'd used his authority as the Crown Prince of Valsparta to sever that connection just before the battle for Corona, and had been the first to apologize and ask for peace. His father would be passing soon; the man was nearly eighty, and his mind nearly gone. If not for him, the kingdom would be in great danger.

And now, reports were circulating in their part of the world that Arendelle was growing weak as King Nikolaus and his Ice Queen aged, and they would likely need allies in the future. Their garrisons were reportedly minimally staffed, and very few warships sat in their harbors or patrolled their shores; most vessels seen in their waters appeared to be merchant-class ships.

He disembarked immediately when they docked and headed for the castle. Upon entering, Balthazar demanded an audience at once. When informed that Court would not be in session today, but that the King and Queen would be happy to receive him on the morrow, he became enraged; he lashed out, striking Kai across the face with a backhanded blow, dropping the older man to his knees. "I demand an audience, and I will have one NOW!" he roared.

A shout behind him caused him to turn. "NO ONE strikes the Herald of Arendelle! Lift your hand against him, or any other member of the staff here, and you will answer directly to me," stated a tall, dark blonde man with bluish green eyes. Balthazar thought he looked familiar, but couldn't place him immediately. Beside him stood a broad-shouldered, well-muscled, light blonde man. Both were dressed as if they'd just finished training, and the smaller of the two (who was by no means small, just smaller than the man next to him) carried a sword across his back.

Balthazar placed his hand on his sword and took a few steps forward, expecting the dark blonde man to tense and draw his own. It would give him an excuse to kill him for speaking so rudely to a Prince. When the man didn't even flinch, Balthazar spoke. "I am Prince Balthazar Fangold, of Valsparta, and I demand an audience with King Nikolaus," he stated, an edge to his voice. He was already tired of arguing with peasants. "And who are you, guard, that you assume to speak to me so?"

Both of the other men threw back their heads in laughter. Behind him, Kai tried not to smile as he rose, and several others around the room hid their faces to hide their own smiles and laughs. 'What am I missing here?' Balthazar asked himself as he glanced around, noting the smiles and laughs. Aloud, he asked, "You think my demands are humorous, peasants?"

The dark blonde man finally stopped laughing and stared right into his eyes, a grave expression on his face. Apparently a nerve had been struck. "I am no guard, nor am I a peasant, Prince Balthazar. I AM King Nikolaus, if you would recall from years ago. I'm not surprised that you don't recognize me; I made it a point then to keep my distance from all of you." Recognition suddenly washed over Balthazar, and his face flushed. He'd just insulted the very man he needed to speak with.

Nikolaus continued speaking as Balthazar struggled to remain impassive. "Now I have half a mind to deny you that audience. Never refer to any staff or citizens of Arendelle and the Northern Alliance as peasants again. Come back tomorrow, and we shall see if I have changed my mind about hearing you," Nikolaus said in a dismissive tone. He turned to walk away, then paused. "Oh, and please look for accommodations elsewhere. You are NOT welcome, nor permitted, to stay in our palace. Kristoff, let's see to our families." With that, he walked away, Kristoff walking and laughing softly beside him.

Balthazar stormed from the castle, his daughter in tow. He found a room at the nearest inn, grumbling and arguing as he paid for it. 'Not really good enough, but it'll have to do,' he thought to himself as they settled in. 'And I see why our envoys haven't been successful. King Nikolaus is a hard man to read. And very rude, to not allow us to stay in the castle. I should have recognized him; he has aged and changed over the years. He may be too difficult to deal with. Perhaps I will have to deal with the Ice Queen in this.' With that, he settled his daughter for the night, then sat at the desk, thinking on what he would say and do tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, a scene was purposely left out here. You can find it in chapter five, 'Happy Birthday, a Night Early,' of 'Rushed Wedding, Unrushed Love.' This, as always, keeps this work rated T.


	6. Frustrating Proposals

Nik sat on the throne, dressed in his formal attire. Elsa sat beside him, resplendent in her dress, the new pendant he'd given her a month ago hanging from her neck, her hair styled in an up do today both to hold her crown and to better display her necklace. Frostbite, his great grandfather's sword, rested between them, an emblem of the King. Court was in full session, and they'd already seen several petitioners. Most were simple: disputes over wares, a land dispute, things that could be settled quickly. He'd purposely instructed Kai to make Prince Balthazar wait; the man could use a lesson in patience and humility, even if he didn't realize it. And, Nik would admit privately, he still held a grudge against the Prince and the kingdom he represented for standing with Hans years ago.

When it was finally Prince Balthazar's turn, he strode purposefully toward the dais, stopping a few feet away from it; his daughter followed quickly, her head down and staying an arm's length behind him. Nik fought to not roll his eyes, and glanced to Elsa; he'd told her what had transpired, and while she wasn't pleased that Kai had been struck, she'd laughed at how Nik had handled this man. He could see from the icy glint in her eyes that she was trying not to yell at the Prince now.

"King Nikolaus, I, Crown Prince Balthazar of Valsparta, have come to propose an arrangement. To bring our two kingdoms into alignment, I propose a marriage between my daughter, Rosalyn, and your son, Aleksander," he boomed. Upon seeing Nik and Elsa's matching frowns, he quickly added, "When they are of age, of course."

Nik leaned forward. "Prince Balthazar," he began slowly, "I refuse. We refuse to arrange a marriage for our eight year old son." When the Prince began to protest, Nik raised his hand and continued. "I will allow the children to meet, and they may see each other and write one another. If THEY decide they wish to pursue a relationship when they are of age, so be it. Until such time, the best you can hope for from Arendelle and the Northern Alliance is a formal treaty."

"But, King Nikolaus, surely you understand that arranged marriages can and do help kingdoms create allies and strengthen the bonds between them," Balthazar protested. "Surely your father, or your Queen's, saw-"

"My father all but banned arranged marriages in the Northern Alliance!" Nik roared, interrupting the man as he rose to his feet. His voice echoed through the room like a crack of thunder, and he motioned toward Elsa. "And my Queen's father refused to arrange a union for either of his daughters; I will continue that tradition! Do not speak ill of either of them again! Your proposal has been refused. Speak of it again in my presence, and you will be escorted from our kingdom," he finished, pointing harshly to the foreign Prince as he spoke.

Balthazar bowed his head in silence. Nik watched as the man considered something for a moment before replying, "Forgive me, your Majesty. I meant no disrespect to either of your late fathers. Thank you for your time." With that, he turned and lead his daughter out of the throne room to wait in the Great Hall.

Nik stared after the Prince for a moment, a feeling of distrust settling on him in the silence that followed. He made his decision instantly; if he didn't personally escort Elsa from this room, a contingent of palace guards would. When he had his temper somewhat under control again, he returned to his seat with a heavy sigh. "What was the next order of business?" he asked, still agitated but trying to calm down.

-

As he waited in the Great Hall, Prince Balthazar thought back to the events in the throne room. 'I should have known I'd be forced to deal with the Ice Queen in this matter,' he thought to himself. 'I detest groveling to a woman, but perhaps it is not all bad. Perhaps it will be the only time.' He found himself thinking thoughts he'd put away years ago, and began to construct a plan to meet his newly revised goals.

After having seen the Ice Queen again, Balthazar found he desired much more than an arranged marriage for his daughter. He'd forgotten just how beautiful Queen Elsa was. And his own wife had died giving birth to Rosalyn, so there was no issue there. What could King Nikolaus do to stop him? After all, the King was just a man like any other; with the right tools, he could be an easily overcome obstacle.

He would need to speak with the Queen in private. He doubted she would agree to his new proposal willingly, but he may be able to coerce her, or downright force her, into it. 'I'm a cunning man,' he thought to himself. 'I can come up with something.' As he thought on it, an idea came to him, and he suddenly had his solution. Balthazar called one of his guards to him, then instructed the man to fetch a particular item from the ship, and to return with more guards, to follow explicit instructions. He smiled to himself as he waited. 'Oh, yes, this may just work,' he thought mischievously.

-

Elsa left the throne room with several guards in tow. She didn't blame Nik for requesting she take a few; she didn't trust this Balthazar either, but she wished Nik were with her. Unfortunately, he had some official documents to go over with Kai, and someone needed to go check on Alek.

As she passed through the Great Hall, she heard someone calling out to her. "Queen Elsa! Queen Elsa, a moment!" She turned to see Balthazar and his daughter approaching. As she turned to face him, she signaled the guards to part but remain at the ready. When Balthazar stopped in front of her, he bowed and kissed the back of her hand before he spoke once more. "Queen Elsa, I was wondering if you and I might talk in private?"

"This is about as private as it'll get, Prince Balthazar," she informed him, then looked down at his daughter and knelt in front of her. "Hello, sweetheart. I hope you've had a pleasant journey here." Standing again, she looked Balthazar in the eye. "We've been quite clear. There will be no arrangements such as what you propose. Speaking to me about that will get you nowhere."

Balthazar smiled. "No, Queen Elsa, I'm sure it won't. But could we at least have the children meet? They can then decide if they would like to exchange letters," he said, trying to sound amicable.

Elsa paused, then nodded. "Of course. I don't see a problem with that." It felt as though he'd changed his tune rather quickly, but she couldn't really deny him this; she turned to a guard and asked for Alek to be brought down. Turning back to Balthazar, she found him speaking in hushed tones to one of his men. When he finished, she spoke to him again. "May I offer you some refreshments?" she asked, indicating a table to the side of the Great Hall.

"Indeed! That would be splendid!" he replied, the smile a bit more genuine. As they moved to the table, he thought to himself, 'Now I cannot be touched. The longer we talk, the easier this will be! And with that kiss to her hand, I marked her as the salt's target.'

When Alek arrived, Elsa pulled him aside. "Alek," she began softly, resting her hands on his shoulders as she knelt in front of him, "you know your father and I love you very much, and that we'll do everything in our power to protect you." She looked into his blue eyes, eyes he'd gotten from her.

He nodded slowly. "Yes, I know that, mama," he answered carefully. "What's going on? No one wants to tell me anything." He trembled a little, fear coursing through him.

She pulled him close, hugging him tightly. "Oh, Alek, everything's fine," she reassured him. Pulling back, she looked at him again. "There is a Prince here who has been trying for years to arrange a marriage between you and his daughter. Your father and I have refused every time. Do you know why?"

Alek nodded again. "Because you want me to make my own decisions, and make my own mistakes," he answered, remembering something they had always told him. "Then I can learn from them, and be smarter when I am King."

Elsa smiled brightly. "That's right. You're such a smart one, Alek," she complimented him. "However, we're going to have you meet his daughter. If you never want to see her again, we won't force you to." Alek nodded to her, and she hugged him again before rising and taking his hand to lead him over to Balthazar and Rosalyn.

Elsa introduced Alek to the girl when they reached them, then looked at Balthazar. "Shall we get some air?" Elsa asked casually. "Our gardens are splendid, and just outside," she indicated to a side door.

A new smile crossed Balthazar's face. "Of course, Your Majesty." His plan was working better than expected. The gardens would have fewer guards and more places for his men to hide, which meant a higher chance of success. There should also be a side exit, where no one would see them.

Once outside, Balthazar began his plan. They talked for a while, and let the children talk and play. Eventually, he started moving the conversation toward his goal. "Queen Elsa, Arendelle is truly a beautiful city," he complimented. "In fact, I have seen few cities so beautiful."

Elsa smiled. "Thank you, Prince Balthazar," she said graciously, her attention focused on where Alek sat talking with Rosalyn. They at least seemed to have found something to talk about. "We strive to keep it clean and peaceful."

"That's very evident," he replied. "I will say that the city's beauty is overshadowed by that of its Queen, however." He flashed her his most charming smile, hoping the smelling salt in his pocket was doing its job; it was intended to cloud the mind of those he marked with the companion salt.

Elsa blushed a bit and turned to him. "My husband said something very similar when I met him, Balthazar," she chided. "I don't think he would appreciate you attempting to copy him."

He smiled wider and leaned in close, casually placing a hand on her thigh. "And what would he say to another man attempting to steal your heart, Elsa?" He was hoping the salt was working; otherwise, he could be in danger.

Elsa placed a hand on his chest and pushed him away. "That," she said coldly, ice in both her voice and her gaze, "was too bold. I suggest you remember who you are, and who I am, Prince Balthazar. I am a married woman, who loves her husband and son deeply. I am also a Queen who loves her kingdom and her people. My heart is already spoken for four times over; you will not find it so easy to steal."

He frowned. Those words should have worked. Obviously she was resisting the salt. Time for his backup plan. "My apologies, Queen Elsa," he said softly. "I may have overstepped my bounds. But, I will get what I want, regardless." He snapped his fingers, and the bushes behind her rustled with movement.

-

Nik left the throne room almost half an hour after Elsa. He wasn't thrilled with how the day had gone, but it hadn't gone horribly, either. Now, he just wanted to spend some time with his family.

As he passed the door to the gardens, he thought he heard voices. Turning toward the door, he noticed a closet door partially open, and a cloak sticking out of it. Thinking it odd, he moved to the closet and grabbed the handle. As he opened it, he heard a familiar voice scream from the garden. 'Elsa!' was the only thought in his mind.

As Nik turned to run, he was suddenly grabbed from behind, and a cloth put over his mouth and nose. "Say goodnight. Don't worry, your son and wife will be safe in Valsparta," a voice behind him spoke. "Well, she won't be your wife anymore, so I guess that may not be true." He didn't get a chance to struggle before he blacked out.

-

In the gardens, Elsa watched as several men sprang from the bushes and grabbed her son. With a quick glance around, she found that her guards were all slumped on the ground, unconscious. She raised her hands to assault the hostile men with her magic, when another man dropped from the trees above her and placed a cloth over her face. As her vision began to darken, Balthazar stood in front of her. "I will get what I want, Queen Elsa. And I want your kingdom subservient to mine. And I want YOU subservient to ME." She blacked out to those words.


	7. The Wolf Stalks His Prey

Balthazar and his men moved quickly, exiting through a side door from the gardens. They'd covered the Queen and Prince with cloaks to lessen the chances of them being recognized, but he was still concerned. If the King hadn't been dealt with, or if any of those guards woke too soon, this could all fall apart.

They moved through the city toward the docks, watching carefully for guards. One of his own men carried the Queen, while the boy was escorted, gagged, between two others. There had been no need to drug him, as he couldn't overpower a grown man. Several times the group ducked into an alleyway as a group of guards made their way down the streets, passing them without a second glance.

When they reached the docks, Balthazar came up short, then backed his men into an alcove to watch the scene before him. The captain of his ship was in a heated argument with the harbor master, and their shouts could be heard over the normal noise of the docks.

"No ship enters MY harbor without paying the dock fees!" the harbor master was shouting, a half dozen guards at his back. Every one of them was armed with a pole arm and sword; they were clearly ready for a fight if necessary. "I don't care if it's bloody God's ship, everyone pays the fees!"

"Prince Balthazar is a foreign dignitary!" the captain shouted back. "We are exempt from all fees while in port, regardless of where we go!"

The harbor master stepped within inches of the captain, his face red with anger. "The only way THIS ship leaves MY harbor without paying the dock fees is by a direct order from my King or Queen. Without that, you pay the fees or your ship stays here!" The man took a step back and waved at the captain. "Arrest him and take him to the holding cell, then report this to the castle. His Prince can pay the fees or take the matter up with the King."

Balthazar watched as the captain of his ship at first struggled, then was overcome and apprehended. With a scowl, he turned to his men. "Back to the inn," he commanded. "There were stables there. We'll buy horses and head to another port, and buy passage there." His men nodded and turned, marching back to the inn quickly, never sparing another glance behind them.

His ship would end up being sacrificed. His father would be furious about it, but perhaps that fury could be tempered with the submission of the Ice Queen. They could purchase passage on another ship in the next port over with the gold he carried. The harbor master in Arendelle was far too observant; he would recognize the Queen no matter how they disguised her, and no amount of gold would silence him. He was also obviously not going to let them leave without paying docking fees, and waiting for Nikolaus to wake would ruin his plan. No, far better to go overland for a time and purchase passage for them all later.

They reached the stables at the inn, and found a few horses they easily purchased. They secured the Queen and Prince in burlap sacks, then mounted their own horses and rode out at a trot. They couldn't rush until they were out of the city; the cover was that he wanted to see some of the kingdom his daughter might reside in one day before going home. He just hoped they could get far enough away before Nikolaus woke.

Once they were at sea, there was little Nikolaus would be able to do but accept their terms; when he came to Valsparta on their terms, he would receive more than he bargained for. The King should be out for about a day, at the very least, though hopefully for much longer than that. If all went as planned, that would be more than enough time.

-

Nik woke in a dark room. He was groggy at first, but came around almost instantly. A quick inventory told him he still had Frostbite and his dagger; whoever had knocked him out hadn't been too thorough, or expected him to be out quite a bit longer. They'd be in for a surprise once he figured out where he was, and how to get out.

Feeling around in the darkness, he found a few broom handles, and heard a bucket slosh when he bumped it. 'They locked me in the cleaning closet?' he thought to himself. 'They obviously don't know me very well. I've studied my home well.' Feeling around until he found the door handle, he tried it; the knob wouldn't turn, so he leaned back and kicked at it, and heard the door crack. Nik smiled at the sound, and kicked again, harder this time; the door exploded outward and banged loudly as the handle and latch separated from the rest of it and skittered across the floor.

He stepped out into the bright mid-afternoon light of the Great Hall and squinted as his eyes adjusted to the light. He heard Kristoff and Anna before he saw them; Klara walked along behind them, clutching her mother's hand. A quick glance around told him more. Someone had also drugged all the guards in the Great Hall and hidden them in one of the other storage closets, though they'd be out for a while longer. He simply hadn't noticed earlier in his rush to see his family.

"Nik! Oh good, you're safe!" Anna exclaimed, obviously somewhat startled at his sudden appearance, but relieved all the same. "Where are Elsa and Alek? We can't find them anywhere. Prince Balthazar and his men are gone, too." Nik could see the worry for her sister and nephew etched on her face, and his own fears began to rise as well. More pieces of the puzzle fell into place.

Klara ran to her uncle, wrapping her arms around him. "Uncle Nik, where's Alek? Is he okay?" She loved her cousin; they did everything together, and he was the reason she had such good control of her powers already. She'd do anything to avoid hurting any of them, but Alek especially. He suspected she'd do anything FOR any of them as well.

Nik shook his head. "I don't know. The last I knew, Elsa was in the garden. I presume Alek was with her. I heard her scream, then someone knocked me out with some liquid on a cloth," he explained. "How long have they been missing?" His eyes moved between Kristoff and Anna, hoping one of them knew.

"A few hours," Kristoff replied quickly. "A guard from the docks reported that their ship's captain refused to pay dock fees, so the Captain of the Guards ordered their ship temporarily seized. There were also some unconscious guards in the gardens. No one has seen Balthazar, however." As the last pieces of the puzzle fell into place for Nik, he asked, "Do you think he would've taken them? Like, kidnapped them?"

Nik nodded slowly, his blood turning cold as his anger rose. "That's exactly what I think, Kristoff." He could feel his magic rising, and they all heard thunder roll in the distance. "And I think it's time Prince Balthazar learned EXACTLY who he's dealing with. He's going to learn that there's a Storm King in these lands, as well as an Ice Queen." He paused, and met his brother in law's eyes. "May I borrow Sven, Kristoff? I need to move quickly, and he's still faster than any horse." When Kristoff nodded, he turned and ran for the stables, shouting for a dozen guards to join him on horses immediately.

-

Nik and Sven rode out into the city, a dozen guards mounted behind them. Seeing the Valspartian ship still docked, he spurred Sven toward the harbor master's office. When they arrived, he noted the captain of Balthazar's ship in the outdoor holding cell while the harbor master glared at his paperwork.

"Master Duvett!" Nik called from his mount. When the harbor master turned and bowed, he continued. "Has that Prince from Valsparta been here to attempt to free his captain or board that ship?"

Master Duvett shook his head. "No, your majesty. We haven't had anyone try to board, though THIS fool," he angrily pointed at the captain, "tried to get out of paying the fees. Thank you for seizing their ship. It saved me from having to take drastic measures." He began to smile, but when he saw the wild, angered look in Nik's eyes, his smile disappeared.

"Thank you, Master Duvett," Nik nodded at the harbor master. Looking at the captain, he fixed the man with a stormy glare. "If you know what your Prince has done with my wife, speak now, or your life may well be forfeit."

The captain shrank back from the bars and shook his head. "I know nothing about your wife, Your Majesty," he began, his voice trembling. "I know some men left for the city some hours ago, but I've seen none of them since."

Nik continued to glare at the captain for a moment before looking at the guards with him. "Master Duvett, hold him until I order otherwise. Men, groups of four! Spread out and question EVERYONE!" he ordered, his voice carrying like a crack of thunder. "We MUST find the Queen and Prince!" Then he spurred Sven, four men following him while the other eight broke into two groups.

-

Nearly everyone they passed, they questioned; most had seen nothing. As evening approached, Nik and his group found one shopkeeper with a sighting to report. "I did see several wealthy-looking fellows on horses a few hours ago. They headed east, toward the old logging road," the man told them. "One of their horses had a big bundle on it, and a smaller one. Didn't think much of it at the time," the man admitted, bowing his head slightly.

"Thank you, good sir," Nik nodded as the other two groups arrived. "Call on the castle in a week, and mention this information. You will be rewarded." Then he shouted for the men to move out, and spurred Sven. "Let's go get them, my friend. Our family needs us," he whispered to the reindeer, who charged forward with a bellow.

They pounded through the streets and onto the old logging trail, moving as quickly as possible. Thinking back over today's turn of events, he remembered how badly Klara had wanted to go with him; she'd even followed him to the stables, trying to get her own horse ready. He'd had to pull her aside and explain that his magic would be more than enough to rescue them, and that he wouldn't let anything happen to Elsa or Alek. She hadn't liked it, but it made her go back to her parents where she'd be safe.

Balthazar had more than a few hours head start on him. Whatever had been used to knock him out would've kept a normal man out for at least a day. Nik smiled despite the situation; his magic had fought the stuff off quickly. It was a bit of a double edged sword, though, since he already knew medicines wore off quickly due to his magic, but this time it worked in his favor. He hoped he could catch Balthazar far sooner than the other man expected.

Watching the ground, Nik saw relatively fresh hoof prints; he knew they couldn't be far ahead, no more than a few hours if he pushed Sven hard and his quarry slowed or camped for the night. He looked back, and noticed that he and Sven were outdistancing the others. As he turned back forward, he realized he didn't care. He wanted to get to Elsa and Alek, and the quicker he did, the better. Nik knew where they were headed; a small port town was about a day's ride away at a slow pace; he hoped to catch them there. With luck, he could catch them on the road long before that.

-

Elsa came to, and immediately smelled the dusty scent of burlap and the less than appealing scent of horse. She felt herself being jostled around as the horse she was tied to moved under her. As the grogginess left her, she realized just how strong the liquid used to knock her out had been; her magic would have fought it off quickly though, far quicker than a normal woman.

When she glanced around, she found she couldn't make out muchthrough the burlap, but she knew they were definitely outside, in the forests above Arendelle. She could also tell there was something beside her; from its size and warmth, she guessed it was Alek.

She nudged him through the material. "Alek? Is that you?" she whispered, hoping she was right. "Are you awake?" She hoped Balthazar had used something weaker on him, if anything at all, since he was just a child. Given who she was dealing with, she wasn't sure they'd be so kind.

Alek's voice both comforted and stressed her. "Yes, mama. Where are we? Where's papa?" She could hear the fear in his trembling whisper. She knew that, for his sake, she would have to hide her own.

"I'm sure your father's on his way," she told her son quietly, trying to reassure him. "He won't let anything happen to us once he finds out we're missing." 'Oh, Nik, please don't prove me wrong,' she thought to herself. Her thoughts turned to escape; if they stopped during the night, she might be able to pull something off.

When she heard the clap of thunder, she knew Nik had learned they were gone. She just hoped he'd reach them before anything worse happened. "Hear that, Alek? Your father is on his way," she told him, real hope rising in her for the first time since she woke.

-

Balthazar looked up when the first raindrops hit his head. The clouds had thickened drastically, and the sky was turning black. Lightning flashed across the sky, and several bolts struck close by. The storm looked and felt unnatural with how rapidly it formed. "Where did this come from?" he asked his men, who all answered that they didn't know.

He pulled his cloak around him as the rain began to fall harder. If the storm got much worse, they would need to set up shelters; he couldn't keep his daughter out in weather like this, especially in the dark, no matter what his timetable looked like. They'd already slowed their horses to a trot due to the rain, so another delay wouldn't mean much now. He'd hoped to be much further along; the next harbor was a twelve hour ride from their current location if the horses could run. At this rate, they would be more than a day before they arrived.

"Father," Rosalyn spoke quietly, startling him from his thoughts. "When can we go home? I don't like it here." He could hear the fear in her voice, and wanted to hug her and reassure her. Despite his ambitions to expand Valsparta's sphere of influence, he loved his daughter dearly and would give almost anything for her.

"Soon, my child," he answered quietly. "Very soon. And I promise you won't have to leave again." He looked over and locked eyes with her, smiling softly.


	8. Forced Submission

The twelve men pushed their horses hard, but they'd lost sight of the King some time ago. Still, they raced on, knowing that even late, it was their sworn duty to support and protect their Royal family. They all hoped their King would hold his own until they arrived.

As the logging road began to turn away from the coast, one of the lead riders, a lieutenant, reined in his horse and shouted for his captain. "Sir! If I might make a suggestion that will speed our pursuit?"

The captain trotted his horse to the lieutenant and stared hard at him. "Speak, son, and be quick! Our Queen and the Crown Prince are at stake!"

The lieutenant nodded and glanced off toward the woods. "There's a hiking trail right here that follows the coast," he told the group. The captain and several others followed his gaze, noting the barely visible opening in the trees. "My wife and I visit it often; she loves to watch the waters. It has a steep climb, but if we take it we may well end up on top of our quarry." Looking back to the captain, he smiled. "We could be heroes for our King and kingdom."

The captain hesitated only a moment, then nodded with a smile. "Lead on, lieutenant. Let us hurry."

Every man spurred his horse, following the lieutenant down the path, excitement at the prospect of heroic deeds filling their minds.

-

Nik and Sven climbed up the hiking trail as quickly as they could. Traveling almost straight up, Nik had to cling to the reindeer's back as he traversed the unsteady ground. They'd happened across it by chance, almost missing it as the darkness closed in after having followed the logging trail for several hours at a full gallop.

He was certain it would speed his pursuit, as the logging road wound deep into the forest for a time in this area, then hooked back toward the sea at the top of the cliff; this path had apparently been made to take in the view of the sea. If this worked, they should come out very close to their quarry, shaving a few hours off his pursuit; if not, if Sven slipped, they would both fall. Nik had called an end to the storm, as the rain and wind would make this climb too perilous; he hoped they'd already passed his prey. Night had fallen, and the sky was still darkening, but he had no intention of stopping.

Several times Sven had stumbled as they climbed, but he plodded onward anyway. The big animal seemed as determined as Nik; his family was being threatened, and he would do all he could to help stop the threat, including risk his life.

After an hour or so, the ground finally flattened out, and Nik heard voices drifting through the trees off to their side; he wasn't sure, but he thought he heard a woman struggling. His anger rose, but he leashed it quickly; he had to be sure before he let his presence be known. He spurred Sven, encouraging the reindeer to hurry down the path. He wanted the element of surprise if this was his quarry, and planned on getting it.

-

Balthazar knew something wasn't right when the storm suddenly stopped and the skies cleared. 'What sorcery is this?' he asked himself as he glanced back at his group. They were tired and soaked through; night had fallen, and it was time to make camp, as the road would be too treacherous in the dark after that storm. They could dry out and continue on in the morning.

"Dismount and set up the tents," Balthazar commanded as he reigned in his horse at a small clearing. "The wet road will be too treacherous in the dark. Light some fires as well; we should be safe from any pursuit for a while; I doubt the King has woken yet." He dismounted, then helped his daughter off her horse as well. She stayed beside him as the tents were raised, then he settled her into one and turned to deal with his 'packages.' A few small fires were built quickly, to dry the men and provide light for what he wanted to do next.

"Get them down," Balthazar commanded his men. All eight were standing nearby, and two of them got first Alek down off the horse, then Elsa. "Take the boy and put him with my daughter. Untie him, as he won't run if he wants his mother to stay alive. Will you, son?" Alek shook his head as he was removed from the burlap and the ropes were cut from his wrists. He followed the men to the tent and went inside, glancing back to his mother, who'd been freed from the burlap; the sadness and fear on his face almost made her cry.

They left Elsa's hands bound behind her back. Balthazar moved in front of her, and issued a command. "Tie her to the tree. She begins learning to submit tonight." As his men drug her to the tree, she struggled; it earned her a smack across the face as Balthazar followed. "Now, now, Elsa, that is no way for a woman to act. You must behave, or you will be punished. You don't want that now, do you?"

She stared at him coldly, her icy blue eyes filled with rage as a tiny bead of blood dripped from her lip where his smack had split it. "You have NO idea what you are getting yourself into, Balthazar," she told him, ice forming on the tree as she was tied to it. "Release us before Nik arrives, or you will NOT enjoy the consequences."

"Oh, Elsa," he crooned as he moved closer, until his face was a mere inch from her own. He reached out and ran a hand along her side, and she shivered, though not from being outside. "He won't be coming any time soon. The drug that knocked him out will last at least a day; I'm actually surprised you're awake so soon, but no matter. We will be boarding a ship to Valsparta by the time he wakes; I had intended to start your training there, but this will work just as well."

His eyes lit up with a devilish glow, and he leaned back to let them roam her body. "Your husband, or should I say your soon to be ex husband, will have no choice but to surrender if he wants to see you alive, not that he'll see you again anyway." He paused and looked deep into her eyes while his hands roamed her body roughly, just as his eyes had done a moment ago. "You see, when he comes to Valsparta to surrender, I will kill him where he stands."

Elsa's eyes widened in horror. "You're a bastard. I see now why you joined with those who tried to overthrow us before," she spat at him. "But you still have no idea about the kind of man my husband is. You will not find him so easy to dispose of."

Balthazar chuckled as he slid his hand down to her thigh, then back up to grab the collar of her dress. He pulled her toward him, causing the ropes to dig into her wrists; she cried out as the rope rubbed her skin raw. "I believe he is every bit the coward Hans thought he was. But it won't matter. I have you, and soon I'll succeed where Hans failed; I will claim you as my own, whether you are willing or not."

When his hand slid back down to her hip and then behind her to grip her bottom, she lashed out and brought her knee up, catching him in the stomach hard. He doubled over with a grunt and took a few steps back, gasping in pain for a few moments. When he stood up again, he backhanded her, snapping her head up and into the tree. "Bind her legs as well. She is not to do that again," he ordered his men, scowling at her. "I will NOT have her putting her knee in other parts of me."

Elsa stood, dazed, as Balthazar's men tied her ankles to the tree as well, though keeping them spread apart. 'This is his plan?' she thought to herself, feeling the renewed dribble of blood coming from her mouth; she wasn't sure what he'd split this time, but it hurt. 'To force himself on me until I submit to him? That won't happen easily.' Her head throbbed from hitting the tree trunk, but she began to release her magic into the ropes slowly after the men were done, freezing the fibers and making them brittle. She wasn't sure she could escape, but she would at least fight for her son's life. 'Please hurry, Nik.'

Balthazar approached again, this time holding a knife. "I WILL claim you, Elsa. And I'll do it tonight." He brought the knife up to her chin, then drew it softly over her skin, down her neck to the collar of her dress. He didn't break the skin, nor did it leave a mark, but it still made her tremble slightly. "And these clothes are in the way." He slowly began slicing through the bodice of her dress as he spoke, his desire clear in his eyes as more of her skin was exposed.

He stopped when the top of her dress opened enough for him to see the tops of her breasts, and his grin grew wider. "Oh how I have dreamed of what your skin would look like, Elsa," he whispered to her, leaning down to nuzzle her freshly exposed skin. He inhaled deeply before he lifted his head again. "I shall enjoy this. If you would stop struggling, you might too." He smiled evilly at her again, and resumed cutting through the fabric of her dress.

As she felt her clothes giving way, Elsa's resolve hardened. She could feel her bindings becoming brittle; in another moment she would break free, and unleash her magic on these men. She might not survive, but she would never submit to this fool either.

Balthazar's knife had moved just below her breasts when a noise in the brush nearby caught all of their attention. He and his men all spun toward the sound and watched as antlers, then the head of a reindeer emerged, facing them. It stepped out further, obviously unafraid. It lowered its head and made a growling noise, and they all finally saw the man sitting on its back; King Nikolaus emerged from the shadows while astride the reindeer, his sword slung across his back, a VERY angry expression on his face.

-

Nik took in the scene in an instant; Elsa tied to a tree, the bodice of her dress cut open, while eight men stood around her and Balthazar, who had a knife inside her dress. His anger rose almost to the breaking point, his magic rising with it. Somewhere in the distance, he thought he heard a cage rattle, though he paid it no mind. "Release them, and surrender," he commanded in a low voice that was nearly a growl. "Or resist, and meet your end. The choice is yours." He stared at all of them, and a wind began to blow, swirling dirt and debris around while thunder sounded in the skies above them.

Balthazar pulled his knife out of Elsa's dress and looked around the clearing, then back to Nik. "And just how do you intend to stop us, King Nikolaus? You have no guards, and only your...steed, and a sword. I have eight men. You are outnumbered," he informed the dark blonde man, surprise at both the King's sudden appearance and the reindeer evident on his face.

Nik knew the other man WAS surprised to see him, since the drug should have kept him out for a day, if not two, but Balthazar was trying to appear confident and in control of the situation. With eight guards facing him, Nik smiled; he knew Balthazar planned to win through strength of arms. He intended to use other strengths, and eight men would barely require effort.

Across the clearing, Alek had opened the flap of the tent and stood in the opening, smiling happily at the sight of Nik astride Sven. Beside him, Rosalyn peeked out. It was quickly obvious that she didn't share Alek's joy; she probably hated Arendelle by now.

Nik locked eyes with Balthazar, then drew his sword slowly, the blue steel glinting in the fire light. "Physically, yes, I'm outnumbered," he answered, keeping Frostbite raised beside him. "But I'm sure you've heard rumors of the Storm King, and his terrible wrath. I assure you, he exists, and you are about to cross him." His eyes blazed, the firelight giving his bluish green eyes an odd glow. "And eight men will NOT be enough to protect you."

Balthazar laughed. "The legend, or should I say the MYTH, of the Storm King? You expect me to believe THAT ridiculous children's tale? King Nikolaus, you are mad! It is no wonder you refused such a generous offer!" With that, he ordered his men to draw their swords. "Put this madman out of his misery!" The men started forward, closing on Nik and Sven.

Everyone heard Elsa's scream and what sounded like shattering glass, but the sight before them kept their attention away from her. Nik raised Frostbite skyward, and a bolt of lightning erupted from the almost glowing blade into the cloudless sky. He then lashed out with another bolt from his free hand, striking and exploding a tree next to one of Balthazar's guards; smoking branches and splinters of wood fell all around the clearing, and a blackened, dead trunk was all that remained. "I AM THE STORM KING!" he shouted. "YOU WILL RELEASE MY FAMILY, OR FEEL MY WRATH!"

Balthazar and his men stood frozen in place. After a moment, Balthazar shook his head in disbelief, and shouted to his men. "Take him! Don't be cowards!" His men hesitated briefly, then charged, while Nik and Sven stood still.

With a sudden swipe of his hand, Nik called a gust of wind so strong it knocked all his attackers off their feet. He quickly dismounted Sven, and marched toward Balthazar, winds swirling about him, Frostbite raised. "I told you to release my family." A man approached him, prepared to strike; Nik struck first, slicing the man's arm to the bone with a quick flash of blue steel, lightning cauterizing the wound instantly and causing him to crumple in pain. "You have chosen to resist and engage me." Another attacker, another man dispatched. "FACE ME YOURSELF, YOU COWARD!" he shouted, his eyes still locked on Balthazar, rage swirling inside him as the wind swirled around the clearing.

Two men threw themselves at Nik as one. His magic had taken control, and he acted without thought. He caught both blades on Frostbite, then kicked one man in the knee. It buckled with a sickening crunch, and the man fell, screaming in agony. The other he used a blast of wind to throw into a nearby tree, rendering him unconscious. The remaining four stood still, not sure what to do; the Storm King had moved so fast, it appeared both of his assailants had fallen at once. He threw back his head and let out what sounded like a cross between a scream and a howl before focusing once again on Balthazar and stalking toward the man slowly. A snarl escaped his lips, growing louder with every step.

-

Balthazar shouted at his men, who had gone almost completely still. "Stop him, you fools! Are you all spineless?" He watched as his men hesitated, then threw down their weapons and backed away. The Prince of Valsparta cursed them for cowards despite his own misgivings about this turn of events; no one had realized, no one had KNOWN, that Nikolaus had magic, as well as Elsa.

He'd finally begun to back away in fear himself when he hit something solid and cold. Turning his head, he found himself against a wall of ice, courtesy of a now freed Elsa, who stood near the trees, arms outstretched and an odd expression on her face. Looking back to Nikolaus, Balthazar watched as the King continued his approach, snarling and stalking toward him like a wolf stalks a wounded animal. He trembled, and a warm liquid trickled down his leg.

His fear became terror as Nikolaus continued striding toward him, that blue blade raised menacingly. He slid down the wall to the ground and curled into himself; tears slid down his cheeks as he began to babble uncontrollably, begging the Storm King to spare him as the sword rose higher for the kill.

-

Elsa stood next to the tree she'd been tied to, her eyes glued to the scene before her. She had frozen, then broken the bonds that had held her to the tree, and now stood watching in awe as Nik let his anger overwhelm him. He'd told her of his actions in Damond, and she'd seen him fight Gunnar; this, however, was unlike anything she had seen in or heard from him before. The expression on his face, the way he moved, the way the storm raged all around, made her afraid. 'So THIS is what he fears,' she thought to herself as she trembled slightly. With no control, his magic could end them all. She really wasn't sure if hers could stand up to him, and she didn't want to find out.

She glanced around and saw the children peeking out of the tent. Fear for the two of them washed over her as she realized a simple truth: they did NOT need to see what Nik could do in a rage like this, and even she truly didn't want to see it. She had to stop him, to help him come back from this edge; if she didn't, they would all regret it. "Nik! Husband!" she shouted at him, trying to cut through his anger. When he didn't respond to her calls, she tried a different approach. "STORM KING! Listen to your Ice Queen and STAND DOWN! For the children's sake!"

-

Elsa's sudden command caught Nik's attention, and his expression softened as his predatory stance relaxed visibly, his breathing short and harsh. His magic subsided, and he was able to leash it once again. He glanced around, then focused on Elsa and nodded slowly. The winds died almost immediately, and the debris fell to the ground. As he calmed and came to his senses, he realized how close he'd come to losing control of the monster he feared was inside; she had brought him back from the edge of madness.

Walking over to where Balthazar sat trembling and quaking with fear, Nik lowered his sword until the point rested against the fallen man's chest. "You owe your daughter, and my wife, your life," he said calmly, much calmer than he truly felt. "I will not take a father from his child if I can help it. But you will remember me, and the day the Storm King let you live."

With those words, he raised the point of the sword to Balthazar's jaw, and drew it down the man's neck and across to the shoulder, slicing through cloth and skin, just deep enough to draw blood; it would definitely leave a scar, a constant reminder of this day. Balthazar cried out in pain as his blood began to run.

The guards that had been following Nik finally arrived, weapons drawn; they entered the clearing behind Sven, having also taken the hiking trail. Several had made and now carried torches. "Arrest these men, and take their weapons," Nik commanded them. Turning back to Balthazar, he spoke a threat. "Leave this kingdom, and never return. If you are found inside our borders again, your life will end." Then he sheathed Frostbite, turned, and went to his family; he picked up Alek as the boy ran to him and pulled Elsa to him in a tight embrace.

No one but they saw the tears he shed. "I was so afraid," he whispered to her, his voice shaking nearly as hard as he was. "I thought I might lose both of you. If I had—"

Her own tears were more evident as she interrupted him. "You didn't. We're here, together, alive, and safe," she whispered in return, her arms around him and Alek. "He would not have succeeded."

Nik shook his head against her shoulder. "You may be right. But my fear and anger overwhelmed me." He shuddered, and she squeezed him harder. "I almost became what I fear I can be: a monster. Thank you, _minn elska_ , for saving me. I love you, so very much."

"But you saved us, Nik. You are no monster," she whispered in return. After a few moments more, she pulled back and met his eyes. "And I love you, too. Let's go home." He simply nodded to her; no further words were necessary as they turned toward Sven, who bowed to let them mount.

-

The next evening, the royal family gathered around a fire in Nik and Elsa's sitting room. Alek and Klara sat side by side on the floor, looking through a book and giggling. He didn't seem shaken at all by what had happened the previous night. Anna and Kristoff sat together on one couch, while Elsa sat on the other.

Nik, too restless and badly shaken by recent events, paced while the other adults watched him. "I can't believe he went that far," he kept muttering to himself. "The marriage, I understood. I completely disagreed, but I understood his desire for it. But this? I've kept the monster caged for years, and he almost released it," Elsa heard him whisper.

She rose and went to him quickly, forcing him to stop and embracing him tightly. "Nik, everything's okay. Whatever he drugged us with wore off quickly, so quickly you were able to rescue us. Balthazar is gone. Valsparta will remember the Storm King's wrath," she reminded him. "Please, let this go, my love. You are NOT a monster," she added in a whisper. "You're a good man."

Nik held on to her, his hand running slowly along her back as he stared off into nothingness. He was silent for several moments before he replied. "Yes. I will let this go," he said slowly. "But I won't forget it. I will never forget this. Valsparta and Balthazar will always be suspicious to me, and I will never take their word for granted again." Only then did he returned to the couch and sit, Elsa curling up beside him to watch the children and talk as a family, the smile slowly returning to his face.

-

In his dreams that night, though, a giant monster of stone rose in front of him. Nik glanced around, saw his family in peril, and prepared to defend them. But when he reached for his sword, it wasn't in its scabbard. The beast roared, and began to move toward him.

Nik woke with a scream and sat up so quickly the covers were thrown from the bed. He found himself sweating and panting heavily; Elsa immediately had her arms around him, holding him and assuring him everything was alright. In the predawn light, he wasn't so sure.


	9. Get Lost

Granpabbie had felt them pass by the entrance to the Valley of the Living Rock. Part of him had hoped they would stop, but he knew they wouldn't. It wasn't time to see them all again. But in a few years, yes, many of them would come to visit.

The Prince would be twelve now. From what he'd seen in visions and the sky, and what Kristoff had told them, he and the Princess were very close, almost like siblings instead of cousins. This was good, very good; the Namesake would need a close supporter. How she fit into the prophecy, though, he wasn't sure. The prophesy didn't speak of a sister who wasn't.

The time had finally come, and he began his trip north. It had been many years since he'd been to Stonewell, and the land had changed somewhat. More fields had been cleared, and villages and towns had sprung up along the way. The major markers were still present, however, so it would be easy to find his way.

Once there, he would need to blend in as much as possible; two hundred fifty years had passed since his kind were common knowledge anywhere. Now they weren't much more than legend to most. But he had a promise to keep to a very old friend; it was time the Namesake received his great grandfather's journal.

-

The whole family had come north this time. His Aunt and Uncle, Anna and Kristoff. His cousin, the fire wielder, Klara. Of course his parents, King Nikolaus and Queen Elsa, or as much of the world knew them, the Storm King and Ice Queen. They'd been met a territory away by his Uncle Johan, the Warden of Stonewell, along with one of his younger cousins, Adam, and his Aunt Heidi.

When they arrived in Stonewell, Alek found his room completely ready; the bookshelves were stocked, his bed made, clothes freshly laundered and put away. Unfortunately, he was tired from the journey. His parents often preferred to make this journey over land, avoiding the journey by sea to Karland. He understood his mother's hesitation, as her own parents had perished at sea. He'd also noticed his father's eyes glistened any time they talked about going to Karland by sea. Oh, he'd do it, and had hundreds of times, but he still had that reaction whenever it came up. It was the only sea voyage that seemed to give his father pause. Alek wanted to ask him why he took issue with that particular voyage, but he'd never gotten enough courage. He would find out someday, though.

Alek had just laid down and begun to drift off when a soft knock sounded at his door. "Alek, are you awake?" Klara called softly. "Come on, lazy bones, get out of bed! Let's go exploring again!" He smiled and jumped out of bed, pulling on his boots. He and Klara always went exploring when they were in Stonewell. After twelve years, they still hadn't unlocked all the secrets of the massive fortress of the North, known to some as the Wolf's Den.

It was an old legend, inspired no doubt by his father's old sigil, the head of a wolf. It had recently resurfaced along with the knowledge of his father's magic; it was said that the Kings of Stonewell were descendants of great magical wolves of old, and that their home had been right were the castle now stood. There was no proof, not even in old histories, but the legend stuck around anyway.

He opened his door and found Klara standing there, about to knock again. She smiled at his sudden appearance, and grabbed his hand, pulling him down the hall. "So where are we off to today, cousin?" he laughed, stumbling to try to keep up. This was also normal; Klara was always in a hurry.

"I don't know!" she exclaimed. "Wherever the halls lead us, as usual!" With that, they ran down the stairs and outside, bolting across the courtyard and toward another of the buildings before anyone could stop them.

-

Elsa smiled as she watched the two children run across the courtyard from their window. Klara was like the daughter she never had; despite trying, she and Nik hadn't been blessed to have another child. Oh, she was content to have Alek as their only child, so she wasn't too worried. But she was happy he had someone to keep him company while they were all attending to royal duties.

She was still amazed that Klara had been born with magic, while Alek never developed any. And Alek, bless him, had never been afraid of Klara's ability to control heat and flame. It had been difficult adjusting; she'd been raised to fear her power, while Nik had been raised to love it but hide it at all costs. But even as toddlers, Alek never once flinched away from her, and she never once hurt him. The rest of them, once or twice, but NEVER him.

The entire world knew about her own magic after her very public display at her coronation, and rumors were widespread about Nik's in the areas that didn't know it was true. They had Valsparta, and particularly Prince Balthazar, to thank for that. They had learned that he told everyone he met that he'd once crossed the Storm King in Arendelle, and claimed to have barely escaped with his life. That, unfortunately, wasn't far from the truth, whether people chose to believe him or not, despite his scar to prove it.

In an effort to keep threats and attempts on her life at bay, they hadn't directly told Klara to hide her magic, but rather to only use it when she needed it or could do good with it. So far it had worked, as few outside the family knew of her powers, and those people who did know were trusted staff. They wouldn't gossip about the girl, or any of the family.

She watched as the two of them ran into one of the far buildings. Who knew where they would end up, but at some point they WOULD turn up again; they always found their way back within a few hours. It was a big castle, and even Nik claimed to not know every passageway.

The door opened behind her, and Anna walked in. "Elsa, have you seen Klara? She was in her room ten minutes ago, and now she's gone." The strawberry blonde woman looked annoyed; Elsa knew her niece was probably avoiding doing something she was supposed to.

Elsa smiled and looked out the window again. "She and Alek are off exploring again," she told her younger sister. "Don't worry, I'm sure they'll turn up before dinner. Alek never misses a meal, but he won't leave Klara behind, either."

Anna sat down, flustered. "Those two are thick as thieves, aren't they? She always manages to get out of helping me," she thought aloud. "I hope they stay this way. It would be good for the Kingdom, wouldn't it?" She smiled at her sister, thinking back to when they were reunited following her near-death experience.

Elsa nodded, then sat by her sister. "Oh yes. Those two are closer than us, and closer than Nik and his brothers. They'll be able to depend on one another for anything when they're older," she replied. "So, Anna, what would you like to do to fill our time until dinner?" She smiled, intent on enjoying some sisterly bonding.

-

Alek followed Klara through the labyrinth of interconnected tunnels beneath Stonewell. His father had explained the purpose of all these tunnels once. They actually served two duties: in winter, they served as a way to move through the castle without fighting the bitter cold and deep snow, and they also served as a last stronghold should the upper castle ever be taken.

Right now, however, the tunnels were almost empty. It was fall, so few people were using them, and most of the torches were unlit. Thankfully that wasn't a problem; Klara held a fireball above her as she led them through the tunnels. They took several turns they'd never seen before, and quickly found they didn't know where they were.

"Hmmm," Klara mumbled. "Alright mister walking map, where are we now?" she asked Alek. He had a knack for things like that, and they had often relied on his sense of direction to get them back above ground.

This time he shook his head. "No idea. We took too many turns too close together, and they all looked the same. And the maps of these tunnels aren't exactly complete," he replied. "I'm as lost as you are."

She turned quickly and glared at him, the light casting an eerie glow around them. "Well now what are we supposed to do? You're the one who always gets us back!" she almost shouted at him.

Alek looked deep into her brown eyes, and saw the quiver of fear in them. He wouldn't say it aloud, but this was the first time he realized it; she was always afraid when they came down here, but managed to hide behind her brash attitude. A sudden noise down the tunnel made him turn. "Shhh. Klara, put that out!" he whispered urgently as he pushed her against the wall. She extinguished the flame when she, too, heard some noises approaching.

The hallway around the corner began to glow softly. They heard voices, muffled in the tunnels. Alek crept forward until he could see around the corner, and saw two men waking away from them carrying a torch. Looking back to Klara, he motioned her to follow him; he finally had a plan. These two would unknowingly lead them out of here.

-

After what seemed like hours, they'd lost the two men. It was too late to turn back now, but there were also no side tunnels through this part. Alek still didn't know exactly where they were, but he pushed forward anyway, Klara on his heels. "We should come across something soon," he reassured her. He tried not to let his voice crack; he really wasn't sure they would come across anything ever again.

They rounded a corner, and Alek stopped short, causing Klara to bump into him. She looked over his shoulder after catching her balance; in front of them was a solid rock wall. "Well this isn't good," Klara muttered. "Now we're lost at a dead end!"

Alek studied the rock thoughtfully for a minute, then saw what looked like a split in it. He reached out with his foot, and pushed on a corner of it. One side gave way, and the ground rumbled; the rock slid aside, and they quickly moved through the doorway. On the other side, they found themselves inside the armory under the barracks.

Alek smiled at Klara as the door slid back shut, then glanced at a nearby clock. "Uh oh," he said quietly. "We'd better hurry! It's almost dinner time! Our parents will be furious! And, you know, I'm hungry," he added with a laugh.

Klara shook her head and laughed as well, then followed as they ran down the hall and up the stairs, emerging in the courtyard once again.


	10. A Stern Warning, and a Request

The family dining room in Stonewell wasn't nearly as grand as the one in Arendelle, but that was to be expected. The Northern Alliance was a hard land, and winter could be terrible. That harshness translated directly to the architecture and furnishings of the buildings. Alek's mother had tried to change that somewhat here in Stonewell, but most of the other territories had remained unchanged.

The entire family sat around the table, enjoying a wonderful spread. Alek had to admit, the cooks on staff in the North could make even the gamiest cuts of meat taste amazing. He ate quietly and thoughtfully next to Klara. They'd barely gotten cleaned up for dinner after their frightful excursion in the tunnels.

The family conversations tonight had been fairly light. His parents talked with his Uncle Johan about events that had occurred in the last few months, and shared much of the southern territories' news. Even his Uncle Aksel had arrived from Karland in time, along with his family. Aksel himself had just finished inspecting and inventorying the armory there. His two cousins, Adam and Adrian, sat across the table; they were young, only months apart, but one look into their amber colored eyes and you knew they were both smart, smarter than they should be at their age.

He wondered how much of this castle those two knew, Adam especially. The boy lived in this castle, so he HAD to have done some exploring. They were getting old enough now that they might be fun to bring along on these excursions; extra eyes and ears to look and listen for new things could be helpful. Maybe tomorrow he'd ask Klara if she wanted to bring them along. Besides, he wanted to get to know them better; there was a strong chance that, like Klara, they would be helping him run the kingdom someday.

The sudden silence around the table caught his attention, but not before Klara elbowed him in the ribs. Alek cast a stern glance at her, then looked around the table. Everyone was looking at him expectantly. "What? Whatever it is, I didn't do it!" he exclaimed. He turned beet red in embarrassment; he wasn't even sure what he was defending himself from.

The whole table erupted in laughter, which only deepened his embarrassment. His father was the first to calm down enough to speak. "No one blamed you for anything, Alek," he explained. "We were just wondering where you two had managed to find yourselves today on your little trek." The rest of the room had quieted to a few chuckles and smiles.

Alek glanced at Klara again, not sure what to say. The look in her eyes pleaded with him to leave out that she'd been frightened. Her shrug, on the other hand, said she wasn't worried about what he said. He looked down at his plate. "Well, we actually got...pretty lost, this time," he admitted quietly. He knew his mother would be upset, but he didn't know what else to say.

"Lost?" his mother exclaimed, her face flushing with anger and worry. "Son, what have we told you? Take one of the maps with you, so at least you have some idea where you are!" She was legitimately concerned, since the tunnel maps were so incomplete. Some idea would be better than none, however.

Alek dipped his head when she scolded him. "I forgot to grab it when we left my room," he replied. "I was in a hurry, and excited. We probably would've been late if we hadn't followed those men with the torch. We didn't get close enough to see them, but they led us to a secret entrance to the armory." He kicked his feet on the floor as he spoke, knowing he was in trouble. He'd have to apologize to Klara later for getting her in trouble as well.

Everyone was silent. Alek looked up, and saw his father and uncles looking at one another in confusion. Finally, his Uncle Aksel turned and locked eyes with him. "Alek, did you say secret entrance to the armory?" he asked. When Alek nodded, his uncle shook his head. "There is no secret entrance to the armory. It's in a corner of a building, and sits between a storage room and the Armorer's quarters. It's not possible."

"But we did!" Klara jumped to her feet, coming to her cousin's defense. "We came out between a rack of helmets and a rack of spears! One of the Armorer's assistants saw us leave!" she exclaimed. "You have to believe us! We aren't making this up!"

The adults at the table looked at one another, then at the children. Alek's father spoke first. "Alek, Klara, I want you to take me to the spot you entered the armory through. Aksel, come with us." With that, the four of them rose and left the dining room, leaving their dinner behind. Everyone else watched them go, their emotions and imaginations running wild.

-

Nik and Aksel studied the floor and wall where the children said they entered the armory. Sure enough, their dirty footprints came out of the wall; one of Klara's was even partially formed, cut off by the wall itself. The only problem was, that wall was shared with the storage closet, and there was no evidence of a secret entrance to that, either.

"What do you make of this, Aksel?" Nik asked his brother. "The kids even said the wall on the other side isn't what they saw when they came through. And this wall isn't thick enough to have a secret passageway," he commented, shaking his head in disbelief. "It's barely a handspan wide."

Aksel shook his head. "I have no idea, Nik. They obviously walked through here. And there are no marks on the wall, and their footprints only go out." The look on his face was one of utter confusion. "There are armories in our kingdom with secret entrances, but not this one. We grew up here; if there had been one, we would've found it years ago."

"But I swear, we came through a passageway!" Alek repeated from where he stood behind the two adults. "The two men disappeared, and we came to a stone wall. I pushed on a small section at the bottom, and the wall opened up. Then we were in the armory." His eyes pleaded with the men to believe him, and he started to tear up.

Nik stood and frowned, running a hand through his dark blonde hair. None of this made sense. The armorer's assistant had confirmed that he'd seen the kids leave the armory, but hadn't seen anyone else come or go. And the marks on the floor confirmed that they'd entered through this wall. But how? And who were the two men? He was growing concerned; there could be an unwanted intruder in the castle, and that could be a threat to his family.

He turned to the children and knelt. "Alright, I need to make a request of the two of you. Please stay out of the tunnels for a while, unless one of us adults are with you. I don't know what's going on here, but I don't want you two exploring until we figure it out. Those two men you saw may have been dangerous, since no one else can say they actually saw them. Promise you'll stay out of there?" he asked the two of them, his expression very serious.

Klara and Alek both nodded. "Okay, papa," Alek replied. "We'll stay out of there." It was disheartening; they were being asked to give up something they loved to do.

Nik hugged them both. "You kids mean the world to us all, and we would hate to lose any of you." He rose then, and placed a hand on their shoulders. "And when we do let you go back down there, take some parchment and something to write with; if you're going to run amuck, at least try to improve our maps." He smiled warmly at them, hoping they would be more responsible in the future.

With that, they all left the armory and headed to the large family room adjacent to the dining room. Everyone else had already gathered to enjoy an evening together as a family.

-

Nik slept fitfully again that night. He dreamt repeatedly of a large stone monster rising from the ground, roaring and crushing everything in its path. Once again, he didn't have Frostbite in his dream. After waking at least six times from the dream, every time drenched in sweat, he decided not to sleep any more that night. Instead he laid next to Elsa in the predawn light, his mind replaying what he could remember of the dream over and over. When the sun rose, he sought out his brothers for some sparring.

He hated those dreams, and after twelve years hadn't found a way to rid himself of them; sparring with his brothers only distracted him from them for a while. He did know they were becoming more and more vivid as time went on. When he started telling Elsa about them again, she'd pointed out that the wall hangings were always askew on nights he had the dreams, and that sometimes objects around their room had moved. They both thought the two were connected, but weren't sure how.

He'd considered going to Granpabbie again about the dreams, but decided against it. He honestly wasn't sure he wanted to know what they meant. They felt foreboding; at some point in his future, he knew he would face this giant grey monster. He just wasn't sure if it would be a friend or a threat. He was even more afraid that HE would become the monster.

-

"High Captain!" the lookout shouted down from the crow's nest. "Ship off to starboard! Looks to be a British warship!" He held his arm out, and Orek turned to look where the man pointed.

He scanned the horizon briefly, and made out the outline of a ship. When he lifted his spyglass, he confirmed what the lookout had suggested; it was definitely a British warship, though not a very big one. "Curse those Brits and their patrols," he muttered to himself. Then he shrugged. "Well, another ship for the fleet."

As Orek turned toward his first mate, he began issuing orders. "Ready the cannons, and prepare a boarding party. We're taking that ship." The man saluted and ran off to spread the High Captains orders, and Orek turned to the command deck behind him.

Calling on the power of his Shadow Ring, as he'd come to call it, he summoned two dozen shadow warriors. When they solidified, he addressed them. "Board that ship with the others, and mark as many as possible," he commanded. "I will need more sailors to operate that ship."

The warriors made no sound, but simply raised their jagged swords in salute, then marched down to the main deck to wait.

The battle was short; Orek's shadow warriors marked over half the British crew, and with each mark he made the men turn on their old shipmates. When it was over, he crossed to the ship and inspected it. "This is a fine ship. I have to give it to the Brits, they can build better than most," he commented. "Raise sails. We make for the Island immediately." Then he crossed back to the _Rose_ and settled in for the voyage.

As he sat at his desk, his feet propped up, he thought on the day's events. 'This was very successful,' he mused. Then his thoughts darkened. 'But I'm still not ready to return home. Perhaps one day.' Then he smiled. 'Yes, one day, Nikolaus, we will meet again. And you will suffer.'


	11. We Didn't Listen

A few days later, Alek and Klara were wandering the tunnels again, despite their promise to his father. This time, though, they had their cousins Adam and Adrian with them. He and Klara had talked, and she agreed it might be fun to include them, since they were getting older. For this trip, they'd given the task of map makers to the younger boys, leaving their own hands and eyes free to explore.

The two boys had taken to their duty well enough, and were actually doing a really good job drawing the map. Adam, in particular, seemed excited about it; as Johan's son, he would one day become the Warden of Stonewell, and wanted to know the castle he would rule over better than he did now.

Alek led the way through the tunnels, Klara following behind him, holding a fireball in her hand. Adam and Adrian brought up the rear, with Adrian carrying a torch. They made their way into some tunnels they'd never been in before, and had to stop often; these tunnels weren't on the map, and Adam was trying to draw them to scale. It was difficult work, but the boy had a knack for paperwork.

After a time, they came to a fork in the tunnels. As Alek contemplated which one to take, Adam spoke up. "This can't be right," he muttered. "I must have made a mistake somewhere." Adrian held his torch higher, trying to give Adam a little more light.

Klara turned and looked at the map over Adam's shoulder. "What do you mean, Adam? What's wrong?" Alek stepped over and joined her, a look of concern on his face.

"Well, according to this map I've been working on, and holding my scale correct, we're actually OUTSIDE the castle walls. A long way outside, actually. We're under the Wolfwood," he told them. He shook his head quickly. "This can't be right. I had to have made a mistake." He started going over his scale again, trying to find the mistake he was sure had to be there.

Just then, the ground began to quake. The children all looked around, nervous. Suddenly, the ceiling above them cracked and began to fall, small pebbles at first, then large chunks. "Look out!" Alek yelled, pushing Adam and Adrian back, then grabbing Klara and shoving her forward, tumbling over her. The ceiling continued to collapse until the passage was completely blocked, and the air was filled with dust.

Alek sat up to Find himself in complete darkness. "Klara? Klara, are you okay? Klara?" he rasped out. When she didn't answer, he began to feel around. Eventually, he found her leg, and shook it. She still didn't respond, so he felt his way beside her and made sure she wasn't pinned. Finding that she wasn't, he listened for her breathing. He heard it, but it was weak.

Leaning in close, he felt something wet on her forehead. He pulled his hand back and smelled the liquid, and wrinkled his nose. His cousin was bleeding, and he didn't know how bad.

-

Adam and Adrian stood shakily to their feet. Picking up the torch, Adrian walked up to the pile of rock and dirt in front of them. "Alek! Klara!" he shouted. When there was no reply, he turned to Adam, hoping he would know what to do, a worried expression on his face.

Adam looked at him gravely. "Our parents. And theirs. Let's go," Adam said, taking charge of the situation. With that, they turned and ran out of the tunnels, finding their way with his map.

-

"Why am I NOT surprised?" Nik muttered, louder than he meant. His brothers and their sons had just come in to he and Elsa's private sitting room and relayed the news. Alek and Klara had taken the two youngsters into the tunnels, despite his warning. Now, a cave-in had them trapped. "Can you get us to the last place you saw them?" he asked his nephews as he stood.

"Yes," Adam replied. "I made a map!" The boy unfolded the parchment in his hands and held it up, showing some excitement and pride in his work despite the dire situation. Nik had to admit, the boy was good; this map was almost as good as any of the official ones, and arguably better since it had more detail.

"Then let's go," he ordered. Looking to Elsa, he added, "If you'll excuse me, _minn elska_ , I must go find our son and niece." He let his worry show on his face as well as in his voice.

She rose just as Anna and Kristoff entered the room. "WHEN was someone going to tell me my daughter's missing?" Anna shouted. "They went into the tunnels again, didn't they?" The fiery strawberry blonde was in an uproar over her missing daughter. She whirled on Nik, an accusatory finger wagging in his direction. "I thought you were making sure they stayed out of there?" she ranted.

Elsa went to her sister and grabbed her shoulders gently. "We only just found out, Anna," she told her sister, trying to calm the outraged mother. "We were just about to go look for them. There was a cave-in, and—"

"A cave-in?" Anna shrieked. "A CAVE-IN? She could be hurt, or worse! Why are we just standing here?" She was beginning to become hysterical, so Kristoff wrapped his arms around her and held her, whispering in her ear. His voice calmed her considerably, so whatever he said worked.

"Well, we might as well all go then," Nik stated calmly. "Adam, Adrian, please lead the way." He gestured toward the open door hurriedly.

The entire group followed the two youngsters out of the rooms and toward the tunnels. No one said it, but they all hoped they would find Alek and Klara unhurt, despite their fears to the contrary.

-

Alek sat by Klara, holding her head in his lap. The bleeding had stopped, but she was still unconscious. There was nothing he could do but sit and wait. 'They'll come looking soon,' he kept telling himself. He was afraid to let himself think anything else.

Suddenly, he noticed a glow from the far end of the tunnel. He gently moved Klara's head and rose, picking up a rock as he did. He wasn't sure what was coming, but he needed to have something to defend himself. He desperately hoped that, whatever it was, it was friendly.

The glow eventually became a light, then finally a flickering torch. Alek watched as an apparently frail old man approached and stopped a few feet away, then nodded at him. For some reason, Alek felt completely unafraid; this old man wasn't a threat. He offered Alek the torch wordlessly, and Alek dropped his rock took it.

The old man knelt next to Klara and looked her over carefully. In the light, Alek could see the gash on her head. What he hadn't noticed was her arm; it was definitely injured, but how bad he couldn't tell. It might even be broken. The old man scooped her up gently, then looked at Alek. Pointing his head in the direction he'd come, he turned and started walking, a signal for Alek to follow him. Alek obliged, as he certainly couldn't let the man go into the darkness carrying Klara. The passageway widened abruptly, and they walked side by side, silently, for a long time.

They eventually came to a small chamber. There was little in it but a desk and some bookshelves. On those bookshelves were many old tomes, some so old they were labeled with writing he didn't recognize. Alek had never seen such old books, and leaned close to try and read some of the titles. He recognized a few words: history, Kings, wolves, North. None of it made sense.

Alek heard the old man clear his throat, and turned to face him. Indicating a book on the desk, the old man croaked, "Your great grandfather wants you to have that." Alek went to the desk and examined the book carefully. It appeared to be a journal-style book, complete with a lockable band. The key laid next to it.

Glancing over his shoulder at the old man, Alek asked, "What is it?" The old man simply nodded toward the book, so Alek picked up the key and opened it. On the first page were a few lines of handwriting: 'The Personal Journal of Aleksander, Lord of Stonewell, King and Founder of the Northern Alliance.'

Alek whirled to stare at the man. "Where did you get this?" he demanded. "This belongs to my family...even though none of us knew of its existence."

The old man smiled. "It has been waiting for you," he said simply. To Alek's confused expression, he added, "King Aleksander wanted it to pass to the next who would bear his name."

"Who ARE you?" Alek demanded. "And how do you know so much, about my great grandfather and about me?"

"Do not worry about that, Aleksander, son of Nikolaus of Stonewell, and Elsa of Arendelle," he said softly, glancing down at Klara where she rested in his arms. "Your cousin and sister who isn't needs assistance. We must be going. I will take you to a place where they will find you, and there we will part ways." With a nod, the old man turned and walked through another doorway. Alek had no choice but to follow.

When they finally stopped, they were in a small corridor near the one that had caved in. Alek could see the torchlight ahead, and shouted for the others, running down the hall a little way. His mother rounded the corner and ran to him, then swept him up in her arms, crying. "Oh, Alek, we were so worried about you. We've been down here for hours, trying to dig to you two," she told him.

Alek looked up at her and smiled. "We were okay, mama," Alek told her. "Although Klara's hurt. This old man," Alek started, turning around to an empty tunnel, aside from Klara resting against a wall. "Is gone. Where did he go?"

"Alek," his father said from behind him, "there was never anyone in this hallway but you and Klara since we came into it." Noticing the torch and journal, he asked, "Did Klara light that torch before she passed out? And where did you find that book?"

"No. The cave-in knocked her out. The old man brought us the torch," he said simply. "And this," Alek indicated the journal, "is great grandfather's. The old man said King Aleksander wanted me to have it."

"Well, let's talk about this later. Right now, Klara needs help," Nik said as he scooped the girl up and headed back toward the others. "Let's get her to the doctor."

Anna and Kristoff wept with relief when they saw Klara, hurt but alive. They let Nik carry her out of the tunnels and to the infirmary, where the doctor looked over both children to ensure their health. Klara's cuts were superficial, and she'd only bumped her head hard; the doctor assured them she'd be fine in a few days.

-

Several days later, Nik and Alek sat in the library, reviewing the journal. They had both read it, cover to cover. It was full of information detailing the daily life and thoughts of their ancestor, the man who founded a large portion of the Kingdom.

"It says here that he wanted to create the Northern Alliance because the people were suffering," Alek commented as he pointed to a particular entry. "He even admits that he didn't really care what the other royals thought, but that he was tired of watching the citizens suffer because of their arrogance."

Nik nodded. "That fits with every story I've ever heard about him. But here's an interesting entry," he said, indicating a rather lengthy entry a few pages later. "This passage details the forging of his sword, the one I now carry, Frostbite. He tells how the molten steel turned blue when the amulet was dropped into it, and it stayed that color when it cooled. There's a LOT of detail about the work that went into it." He smiled as he read a little further, and pointed to one line. "No wonder it's so strong. The steel was folded over a thousand times. Of course, it would have to be strong, to handle the magic."

"You've put a lot of magic through that sword, haven't you, papa?" Alek asked. When Nik nodded, the boy continued, "So my great grandfather knew how to make swords. And he made that one to make his own earth powers stronger, so he could stop the wars." He frowned then, thinking hard. "But some of these entries don't make any sense. He keeps trying to describe some kind of feeling, but I don't get it."

Again, Nik nodded. "Perhaps someday we'll figure out what he meant in those passages. This journal must be preserved, Alek," he told his son, cradling the old leather bound book. "It needs to be passed down through the family. It's an important part of our kingdom's history, just like Frostbite. See here, it even tells how he asked for, and received help from, Arendelle, even though they were far away and didn't need to get involved." His eyes twinkled a bit, and he smiled broadly. "Apparently our families have been involved with one another before." Glancing over at Alek, he had a thought. "It's almost as though your mother and I were meant to meet."

The two of them continued talking about it for a long time, deep into the night.

-

The next morning, Elsa rose early and dressed for the day, then snuck down to the library. She had a feeling she would find her husband and son there when Nik didn't come to bed, and she was right. She stood in the doorway, smiling as she watched the two of them sleep, sitting side by side on one of the couches. She considered getting them a blanket, but refrained; the library was plenty warm on a day like today.

She turned and strode down the hallway toward the dining room, where breakfast was about to be served. She would have to make sure some was saved for the two of them. They'd bonded even more over that journal; it was something tangible that they could share, something that detailed a very important part of their history, and referenced some of her own.

A thought occurred to her then: her family and Nik's had crossed paths centuries ago in friendship. It was almost as if fate had brought her and Nik together. She smiled to herself, thankful for everything and everyone in her life, and offered a silent prayer that she would always have these wonderful blessings.

-

Months later, the new maps of the tunnels Nik had ordered were finished. When he reviewed them, he noticed that several of the passageways from Adam's map simply weren't there. That was odd, since the boy had drawn his own map in great detail. He'd also made sure a few copies of that map went with the surveyors, so they could try to retrace the children's steps.

When he got to the last copy of the map, he felt a strange presence in the room. He looked around quickly and tensed; no one was there, but something told him to flip the map in his hand over. When he did, he saw the writing on the back in tiny manuscript in the upper left corner; it was meant for him, he was sure, because his name was one of three words that he recognized of the ancient language. He grabbed an old schoolbook and translated what was written:

'Do not fear, Nikolaus, son of Andor, descendant of Aleksander. No danger will come to the children of your family in the tunnels again. But I had a promise to keep; your great grandfather wanted your son to have that journal.  
Your friend,'

There was no name written at the bottom. Nik didn't know who wrote this letter, but for some reason he felt relieved. Whoever had written the message wouldn't trouble them again.

-

Granpabbie paused on top of a hill and looked back on the great fortress of Stonewell. He smiled softly, knowing he'd kept his promise to his old friend. He truly hadn't meant to wake the man's spirit, but it'd been fortunate; the namesake and the sister who isn't would have been lost for some time had they not led them out of the tunnels. It had also been good to visit with the old spirit, even though it had been difficult to convince him to return to his resting place.

He'd stayed longer than he meant, and the others would be missing him. But he wanted to make sure no one else was lost in the tunnels while they mapped them. And the note he'd left for Nikolaus he hoped was found; they needed to be reassured that the tunnels were safe for the children.

With a last, long look, he turned south once more, making for the Valley. He would need a LONG nap when he returned; centuries old trolls like himself were not meant for long journeys.


	12. An Old Enemy Crashes a Royal Party

The rich old merchant wandered about the house, inspecting every room. "It is a very nice place," he commented with a smile. "I think it will do nicely for my young friend and I. I will take it."

"Very good sir. You may move in immediately, if you'd like. We can discuss payment terms later through my man of business," the seller advised, moving back to the front room. "I'm vacating the city for business purposes; I have no need for the house anymore. I will be leaving tomorrow."

The old man nodded, then turned and looked out the window. "That will be acceptable. Thank you for taking the time to show it to us. I look forward to living here in this beautiful city."

"Indeed," the seller said with a bow. "Arendelle is one of the most beautiful cities in the kingdom, or so I've been told. It is said the King himself believes it to be true."

'Indeed he would,' the old man smiled to himself. 'He most certainly would.' To the other man, he smiled broadly as he answered, "I can see why that rumor exists. I hope to come to believe it."

-

'Oh yes, this is a very nice place, but not as nice as where we'll be living in just a year,' the old man thought to himself. A loud crash behind him made him turn in anger. "Halvor! I told you to be careful with those things! Some of that is irreplaceable!" he shouted at the boy. "How are you so incapable of simply walking?"

"I'm sorry, father. I didn't mean to. I tripped," Halvor replied meekly. He hated being yelled at, especially when it was an accident. He couldn't help it; his body was changing as he entered his teenage years, and he often tripped on his own feet.

"Bah! You are ridiculously clumsy. I hope you can do what's needed over the next couple months," the old man sneered. "Now clean this up. And be careful!" Halvor bowed deeply and left to find cleaning supplies.

Turning back to the window, he stared at Arendelle castle across the fjord in the fading light. 'A decade and a half ago, you took from me what should have been mine, King Nikolaus,' he remembered angrily. 'Lord Daniel was wrong to have you do that, and I have NOT forgotten. My wife did not live to see this day, but my son and I will, in just a year, take EVERYTHING from you.'

He had left his daughters in good hands. The man thought they were his own children, even if the official records didn't show it; his spell saw to that. Of course, the official records didn't show any of his offspring, or him. He'd arranged for that intentionally, and his eldest daughter would make sure it stayed that way. It was for their own protection; if for some reason he failed, they could live on in anonymity, perhaps to rise against those who defeated him. He smiled, for it was unlikely that he would fail.

Breaking out of his reverie, Magnar smiled at the castle. "Enjoy your stay, Nikolaus. That castle WILL be mine, along with this entire kingdom."

-

Granpabbie's dreams had been troubled almost every night for the last year, and this night was no exception. It began when a vile presence entered Arendelle, though despite his efforts he could not locate the source. It had been steadily growing stronger, and it involved the, as of today, fourteen year old Princess, their Kristoff's child. Her powers had been rumored, and it was making her a target; this new threat planned horrible things, with her as a centerpiece. "Beware the sister who isn't. She may be the undoing of you all, or the one that brings you all together," Granpabbie said aloud.

No one was around to hear his warning this time, and he had no way to spread the word.

-

Alek walked toward the great hall slowly, dragging his feet. It was his cousin's birthday, so he knew he had to be present. Last year he was glad to be there, but this year he'd rather be anywhere else. They had once been as close as brother and sister, but now their relationship was more like occasional friends. Something had changed in Klara over the winter, something that was closing him out of her life. He had no clue what it was, but he suspected it had to do with his increasingly busy schedule and some of the new friends she'd made.

When his father was his age, he'd been forced to become the King of the Northern Alliance when his own father had been killed. Thankfully the same would not happen to him, because he knew he wasn't ready for that kind of responsibility. His father and mother, also known as the Storm King and the Ice Queen, still ruled Arendelle and the North. This ensured him several more years before he would rule, but it also meant he had to start accompanying them on trips to the territories, sit in on council meetings and court, and generally observe every royal duty his parents performed.

It was BORING. He often found himself drifting off, only to be startled awake by someone's raised voice, or one of his parents poking him. His father tended to jolt him with a small bolt of lightning, nothing harmful, but enough to wake him. His mother, on the other hand, was not adverse to raising ice spikes from the bottom of his chair. THAT was truly uncomfortable. He would much rather be off getting into trouble with Klara, watching her practice using her magic to ensure her control over it. His parents had created a training schedule for her, and her own parents, his Aunt Anna and Uncle Kristoff, did all they could to make sure she followed it. Still, he knew she had more free time than him.

When he reached the Great Hall, he saw all the party activities going on. There was dancing, food, and games of all sorts. He placed the gift he had brought for his cousin on the gift table. It wasn't much, just a few rare books, as he knew she loved to read. He turned then, hoping to get a chance to talk to her and maybe learn why she had distanced herself from him.

He saw her in the middle of the room, laughing and talking with some of the friends she'd invited from school. One was a boy he didn't care for; his name was Halvor, a highborn merchant's son. He and his aged father had moved to Arendelle last summer and taken up residence across town. He had black hair and dark brown eyes, and he had an air of superiority about him, even in Alek's presence. They had fought several times, with neither one winning. Alek was faster, but even though they were the same height Halvor was much stronger.

Alek steeled himself and strode over to the group, doing his best to look like the humble, noble born boy he was raised to be. He was not about to be kept from wishing his cousin a happy birthday. "Hello, Klara," he said as he entered the group, which fell silent when he broke in. "Happy birthday cousin. I hope it's been a great day for you so far?"

Halvor stepped partially in front of Klara, coming between the two of them before she could speak. "What do you want, Boy King?" That was his favorite insult to Alek, something he knew always got under his skin. He hated being reminded of that barrier between himself and others.

Alek stood his ground as best he could. "I'm here to celebrate a family member's birthday, Halvor. Let's not spoil her day with another fight." He hoped Klara would take his actions as wanting to remain close, instead of drifting apart.

"Thank you, Alek," she said, pushing Halvor aside. "I'm glad you could make it. Perhaps we can catch up soon." Klara smiled sweetly at her cousin, though she wasn't sure how truthful she was being.

Alek nodded and moved away, feeling that wall spring up between him and her again. He wandered over to watch some of the games, not really in the mood to join in. He had been afraid of her reaction, and he was saddened to see he'd been right.

-

Klara watched Alek walk away. Deep down she had a pang of guilt for the way she had handled that. She almost went after him, but she also wanted to hang out with her friends. She enjoyed their company, since Alek was always gone with her Uncle Nik or Aunt Elsa, it seemed. It saddened her, but she knew he would be King someday, and he had to learn to be a good one.

"Can you believe that kid is going to be our King someday?" Halvor started. "He doesn't have any magic like his parents, and he is so small. I think even you could beat him up, Klara," he laughed as he moved closer to the Princess. "I don't think anyone would say anything if they gave the throne to you instead. I've been saying that for a while. A kingdom should always have a powerful ruler."

She smiled at that, because she didn't know what else to do. She knew Halvor was right, that she could protect the kingdom better than Alek because she had her fire magic. But he was family and heir, so she tried to avoid talking about it. She was a little uncomfortable with how close Halvor had gotten, and decided to change the subject to put a little distance between them. "Who wants to go play some of the games?" she asked, heading toward one of the party games. The whole group followed her.

The rest of her birthday went well. She enjoyed the attention, since it didn't center on her fire powers. She was very confident in her control of those powers anyway, but it was still nice to be noticed as a person instead of a magical being.

Even her parents were often awkward around her, having no powers themselves. If she didn't have her father's eyes and hair, or her mother's round face, she would have thought that she and Alek had been switched as babies.

She banished those thoughts for the rest of her birthday. It was her day, and she was darn well going to enjoy it.


	13. Plots and Counterplots

The finale of the Princess' birthday party had been incredible, Halvor thought to himself as he walked home through the city. The fireworks display had been awesome, and the castle always had excellent food and drink. He still couldn't believe that Alek would be King, while Klara was just going to be another throne-less royal. He liked her a lot, but knew she was capable of so much more. He just had to get her to see it. He also had to do his father's bidding, which currently coincided with his own desires.

When he arrived home, the old man sat at the table in the dining room, going over some old books. "How was the party, son?" his father asked slowly, not looking up.

"It was fine," Halvor said shortly. That was just like his father; he never truly paid attention to him anymore. "I'm going to bed." He began heading toward the stairs that would take him to the bedrooms. He didn't get very far.

"Stop right there!" the old man rose, turning to him. Halvor stopped and hesitated, then slowly turned around. "Remember your manners, boy! I have not raised you to be a heathen. Now answer me properly," his father commanded.

Halvor bowed his head and spoke softly. "The party was fun, _father_ ," he stressed the last word. "But I'm tired. May I be excused to go to bed?"

"That's better. But no, you may not. We have things to discuss," the old man motioned to the table and the books spread out on it. "And you have some more studying to do, if our plans are ever to reach fruition. You're moving too slowly. She should be under our control by now."

Halvor slunk over to the table, plopped down in a chair, and turned one of the books towards himself. He began to read over the ancient spells, trying to learn where he could improve the spells he and his father were weaving. He didn't really enjoy this; he would rather get her to come to him because she genuinely _liked_ him.

"So, has she at least given in to your point of view yet?" the old man asked pointedly. "She should have by now." He glared at his son, the disappointment clear in his eyes.

Halvor shook his head. "No, not yet. She's resisting, at least in public. When we're alone she agrees with me, but refuses to take any action against her family. I believe her uncle's Northern influence is holding me up there," the boy surmised. He refused to look up, for fear that his eyes might betray his feelings.

The old man nodded in agreement. "Yes, most of the North still holds to an old code of family and honor above all else. King Nikolaus brought that down here to Arendelle and her territories with him. However, there are things we can do to counteract such a deep-rooted thought," he said as he indicated a particular incantation written in another book. "This one here should break down that last barrier. However, make sure to only use it when all else is ready. We cannot have the King and Queen realizing our plans until it's too late. King Nikolaus is a dangerous man, especially with that talisman of his, but he wouldn't raise a hand against his family."

"I understand," Halvor nodded. "I will learn this one as well then. Is there anything more, or may I now be excused?" The old man turned toward the kitchen and gestured absently toward the back of the house, releasing him for the evening.

-

Halvor closed the door to his room and sat at his desk. He held his head in his hands, weary from the day, yet trying to remember the spell he'd just seen. Before it faded from his memory completely, he pulled out some parchment and a quill and wrote it down. 'I'll check it in the morning,' he thought to himself.

As he prepared for bed, he thought back on all the plans the old sorcerer and he had made. As the apprentice and the one who was the proper age to get close to the young Princess, he was forced to be the one to have to apply all the spells to make the plans work. It was difficult, making sure he wasn't caught by anyone as he whispered the incantations, shaped the spells and applied them as needed.

There was more, however. He could never admit this to anyone, least of all his father and master. He couldn't even write to his sisters for advice; they were in hiding for their own protection. But as he'd gotten close to Klara, he found that he was attracted to more than just her strength. She was a very lovely girl, and he found her witty and smart, too. He almost thought he might be in love with her. He was at the very least infatuated with her.

He just hoped that, after everything was over, she might still like him enough to want to be with him. He still wanted to rule, but he'd prefer it to be with her. He would take necessary steps to make sure he did. He would also have to find a way to eliminate his father, or his desire to be with her could never become reality.

-

She wandered the halls of the castle in Halvland, bored and lonely. Her bright red hair fluttered as she walked, and her coal black eyes saw everything, what little there was to see in this bleak place. Her real father had explained it all, but she still hated it. Even her older sister got to be somewhere else, since she'd married the moron from Hartlande. Instead, she was left in this lonely, nearly empty place. Her false father was becoming so old and decrepit that he could barely make it from his bedchamber to the dining hall without assistance; some days he couldn't accomplish that much.

She hated this place, and she resented it. She resented her sister for getting out of here. She resented her father and brother for leaving her here. They had promised to return for her, but they still hadn't come. There had been no news of any attempts on the King and Queen, either, meaning that either her father had failed, or he simply hadn't acted on his plans yet.

Finally she exited the building and stood on the parapets, looking out into the mountainous terrain that made up most of the territory of Halvland. The cool evening air surrounded her, and she smiled to herself. She was stronger than her siblings, and smarter than her father. She already had some contingency plans ready for when she came of age. If her father failed, then she would rise and become the Queen of this kingdom. She would need the Crown Prince to get there, but she wouldn't need him after that. And she certainly wouldn't face the Storm King and Ice Queen at the same time.

If her father succeeded, though, she would still rule. She would have to murder her own father, sister, and brother to do it, a thought that would have horrified a softer soul. Her black eyes twinkled in the fading light; for leaving her behind, her father deserved much worse than death, and she was fine with giving it to him.

-

Alek hadn't been up to the mountain lakes in several years, so when he asked his father and uncle if he could tag along on the next trip, they agreed. He'd grabbed all his gear and stood waiting by his horse when Kristoff came in to get Sven. Sven's age was starting to show, having lived much longer than any other reindeer, but he was still fiercely loyal and stout, and never missed a trip with Kristoff to the mountains; it was speculated that being around so much magic or even a spell of the trolls had granted the reindeer an extended life span. No one knew for sure, but it was evident that Sven had not lost much of his youthfulness yet, other than in his appearance. They mounted up and rode out at a light trot.

The trip to the lakes had been uneventful. It was a bright spring day, and until they climbed far above the sea, it was warm. As they rode, they bantered back and forth. If he wasn't heir to the throne, Alek would have loved to follow in his uncle's footsteps. The freedom of wandering the woods really did appeal to him. What fun it would be to live in the wilderness, no one to answer to, no one depending on you, the ultimate in freedom.

Still, he thought that if he understood what his subjects and staff did for a living on a daily basis, he could empathize with them more readily when they came to present any issues to him. In the last week he'd worked in the kitchens, the stables, and rode patrols with the city guards. He'd done much more in the last month. His father had smiled approvingly when informed of his plan, telling him that a good ruler must never assume he is above his subjects, but rather understand that he lives for them and to protect them.

On their return trip, his uncle stopped at a seldom used trail that ran back to some ruins. Alek remembered it from an old map he'd found in the castle library, the Valley of the Living Rock or something like that. He looked up at his uncle, who seemed to be considering taking that trail. "What's back there, uncle?" he asked quietly.

Kristoff looked at him and smiled. "A huge portion of my past. My family lives back in there. It's been a few months since I visited, and we haven't taken Klara since she was three. They're a bit...unusual, but if you'd like to meet them, we can go," he finished, leaving the choice to Alek.

Alek thought for a moment, then answered with a nod, "Sure. I don't have much waiting for me to do back in Arendelle, and I'm sure Klara will be busy with her friends anyway. I'd love to meet your family, Uncle Kristoff." Together, he and his uncle turned and spurred their mounts toward the ruins.

"So, what's going on between you and Klara, Alek?" his uncle asked as they headed down the trail. "Growing up you two were nearly inseparable. Now, you two barely acknowledge one another. I've noticed she has even been acting differently around your aunt and me. She won't tell me what's going on, so I'm hoping you will." Kristoff glanced over at him, hoping for some kind of answer.

Alek shook his head with a frown. "I wish I knew, Uncle Kristoff. I miss hanging out with her, but she seems so cold to me all the time. I can only guess that, with my busier schedule and her new friends, we're just growing apart."

With those words, they reached the edge of the circle of ruins dotted with steam vents. As the two of them dismounted and walked to the center, Alek looked around, wondering where his uncle's adoptive family lived.

"Well, here we are. Meet my family, Alek. Hey guys, I'm back!" he shouted, turning about the circle, arms outstretched.

For a brief moment, Alek stared at his uncle, suddenly wondering if he was a little bit crazy. A rumble in the ground told him otherwise. He looked around to see the boulders around him begin to shake and roll toward them. He stepped back, bumping into his uncle, and stood in shock as the rock trolls stopped and stood in a circle around them, shouting their greetings to Kristoff. A small section of them parted, and one other boulder rolled up, standing into an obviously older rock troll. "Kristoff," the old troll croaked, "it is good to see you. What brings you out this evening?"

"Granpabbie, how are you? I've just come to visit, since I've been away for several months. But I'd also like you to meet my nephew, Aleksander. He's Nikolaus and Elsa's son," Kristoff told the old troll, indicating Alek.

Granpabbie shuffled past his uncle and stopped in front of him. Alek knelt, bringing himself down closer to the old troll. "Ah, yes, I remember those two. Excellent rulers, and excellent people. We have heard much about you, Aleksander. May I?" the old troll asked, holding out his hands, gesturing that he would like to examine Alek's.

Silently, Alek held out his hands. They trembled slightly, as he was somewhat afraid of Granpabbie's interest in him, and what he might learn. The old troll gently took the boy's hands and studied them carefully. "Hmmm, very interesting," Granpabbie said after a moment. "You are the son of two people who possess great magic, yet you display none yourself?" Alek shook his head, amazed at what the old troll had seen just from examining his hands.

"This is very interesting, Aleksander. You see, as I explained to your father years ago, magic tends to be hereditary, and almost always passes down through those who display it, sometimes skipping a few generations if the blood thins. In rare cases, the power doesn't present itself until a child is a toddler, but I have never heard of natural magic asserting itself later than that. Since both your mother and father have powers, you had a greater chance of possessing some magic as well. It comes as a surprise that your cousin would have developed some instead," Granpabbie explained. Alek thought he might say more, but he didn't.

Alek sat on the ground in front of the old troll, much more at ease as he spoke. "I've never displayed any sign of powers," he began, "and after hearing, reading, and experiencing some what my parents went through, I'm not sure I'd want any if I did. Klara and I used to be like brother and sister, doing almost everything together, standing beside one another even if we'd just fought. In the last year, however, that relationship has soured. We rarely talk, much less see one another. She's always with her friends while I'm always busy learning about royal responsibilities."

Granpabbie thought for a moment, then nodded. "Aleksander, listen to me. It is understandable for children to change their relationships as they grow older, particularly cousins. However, I will give you a riddle that I have heard for many years. You may have even read it. 'Beware the sister who isn't. She can be your worst enemy, or your greatest friend.' I believe this applies to you and your cousin. Do all you can to keep your relationship with her friendly and open. If you do, she will stand beside you much like your uncles have stood beside your father all these years."

"I will," Alek promised. He very much hoped he could keep that promise.

He and his uncle stayed for a while longer before heading back to Arendelle. His mind was occupied with ways he could patch things up with his cousin, but he was more at peace than he had been that morning.

On the ride back home he began to hatch a plan, a way to break through the wall that had been built between the two of them. He just hoped it would work.

-

Granpabbie watched them leave, and muttered to himself. "I certainly hope you can bring her back from this edge, Aleksander. If you cannot, we may all be in grave danger. The prophesy did not include any place for a cousin; she could easily undo all that we have worked and hoped for."


	14. Fire is a Dangerous Thing

Alek entered the library, looking around at the empty tables. He'd invited Klara to meet him here because he thought she might be willing to actually listen to him and talk with him about the distance between them. She loved books, and he hoped that being around so many might break through whatever was holding her. She was the sister he never had, and he didn't want this throne thing to come between them. He desperately hoped that was all this was, though he was becoming less sure as the days passed.

He was just getting into a book when he heard the scuff on the floor. He looked up and met Klara's glossed-over gaze, and set the book on the table, smiling at her. She came over to the table, her face a mask to him. "What is it, Alek?" she demanded coldly.

The smile left his face. 'More evidence that this is more than just being the heir,' Alek thought to himself. He was suddenly unsure if this meeting place was such a good idea, because if she lashed out, the books here wouldn't be so easy to put out, and centuries of literature would be lost. "I just want to talk, Klara," he began slowly, hoping to keep her calm. "You know, like we used to do? As cousins?" He gestured to the bench beside him, hoping she might sit.

She moved around the table and sat, keeping her eyes on him, her glazed brown eyes seeming almost like they were burning into him. He squirmed. "Alright. Talk then," she said impassively.

Alek could almost feel something, a buzzing in the back of his mind; he wasn't sure what it was, but it definitely didn't feel good. "Well," he began, floundering a bit, "I thought maybe we could catch up, let each other know what we've been up to. I'll start. Mother and father have been teaching me a lot about becoming King. I feel like I've learned so much, but sometimes it gets boring. I'm not sure how the two of them deal with it every day."

That got a smirk out of Klara. "Is my dear cousin saying he doesn't want to be King?" she almost sneered. "That's okay, I'm sure there are others who do. You could refuse it, you know." The look in her glazed eyes made him wonder if she was serious, or if she even knew what she was saying.

"No, not at all. It's just that I know I'm not ready. I hope to be, though," he countered. "Besides, even if I didn't want it, there's a long line of heirs after me. You know that tradition has the crown passing down in a patriarchal fashion. So if something happened to me, it would pass to Uncle Johan, Uncle Aksel, their kids, then your parents, then you. Arendelle's crown passing to mother was circumstantial, as there was no male heir." He looked up at her then. "So, Klara, what about yourself? How have you been? What have you been doing?"

She sat and stared at him for a moment, almost not seeing him. Then she blinked, and he swore her eyes looked somehow different, clearer even. "I've been good, Alek. Uncle Nik says I have a good grasp on my magic, and Aunt Elsa says that she wishes she'd had my control when she was our age." She paused, then went on, "It's too bad you're always so busy. You'd like some of my new friends. I mean I know you don't like Halvor, but the rest you probably would," she stopped, frowning deeply. "I really wish you two could get along. He isn't so bad under his bully attitude."

"I know. I'm sorry I haven't been around as much, Klara. I really do miss hanging out with my cousin." He looked into her eyes again, seeing the light he remembered. "We should try to do more together. Maybe you can travel with father and I to Stonewell this next week. Mother will be coming too." He put on a hopeful face, wanting to believe he'd gotten through to her.

She sat and thought for a few minutes, looking like she might agree. Suddenly she shook her head. "No, I can't. I've got some things I need to take care of." She rose then, and backed away from the table. "I'll see you around, cousin," she said, her eyes starting to glaze again. He noticed the tear at the corner of her eye as she turned and hurried out of the library.

He sat at the table for a while, his book forgotten. For a few minutes, he'd seen his cousin again, the girl who was almost his sister. But then she was gone again, replaced by that glazed stare. He wondered what was going on with her, but he didn't know who to talk to. His aunt and uncle wouldn't know, because his uncle had already told him as much. And he doubted she would talk to his own parents. No, whatever was going on, he would have to figure out on his own.

-

Klara ran to her room, the tears slowly running down her cheeks. She knew she shouldn't be crying, because she hadn't said or done anything wrong. But somehow she knew they were going to end up on different sides of a battle, and Alek would end up losing if she let him too close. She had to protect him from whatever it was, even if it meant pushing him away.

She opened her door quickly, intending to slam it shut and throw herself on the bed. What she saw in front of her when she entered brought her to a halt. Inside, Halvor stood, an almost sinister smile on his face. "Hello, Klara. I hope you don't mind, but I came in your window. Please, come in and close the door. We have much to discuss about the near future." He gestured to her bed, where he'd moved her desk chair to.

She suddenly felt like she had no choice. Her mind didn't feel like her own; it was clouded, like she was fighting her way through a fog and couldn't find her way out. Slowly, she stepped into the room and closed the door quietly. Something was telling her, whispering in her mind, that she didn't want him found inside the castle.

"Very good. The spells are working quite well, though not as strong as I'd hoped. Ah well, a little work and nothing will overcome them," Halvor commented, smiling as he raised his hands, about to cast another spell.

"What is it you want me to do, Halvor?" Klara asked in an almost monotone voice that didn't sound quite like her own. As the compulsion spell strengthened, she began losing more control of herself. It felt like her own consciousness was shutting down.

"Why, my dear, I want you to take what is yours. I want you to take the throne," he smiled, the sinister look in his eyes giving some of his plans away.

She stood still, trying to think of why that was a bad idea. She vaguely remembered talking to Alek about this recently. But nothing came to her; thinking had become increasingly difficult. Instead, she nodded, and Halvor began working to cast the rest of the compulsion spell.

-

A few weeks later, Nik and Elsa rode along the trails, making their way back from the western territories. They'd ridden ahead of the column for a while, wanting some time to be alone. They didn't get much unless they made some, it seemed. So they took this opportunity to just ride side by side and talk.

"This is nice, Nik. It reminds me of years ago, when Alek was just a baby. Things just seemed so much simpler then," she commented. Her mind wandered back over the years, remembering all they'd been through in the last fifteen years. "Even before the war with Hans, things didn't seem as hard as they are now, despite coping with the fallout of my coronation."

Nik agreed. "Yes. I remember those times. Sometimes it's hard to believe it's been so long." He paused for a moment as another thought crossed his mind. "I just wish Alek and Klara were getting along better. They used to be as close as, well, you and Anna. In the last couple months, really since her birthday, he's thrown himself into learning about ruling, when he wasn't all that interested before," he frowned, concern for his son and niece plain on his face. "I'm afraid he's trying to run from some emotions. I don't know for sure what's going on between them, but perhaps we should get involved."

"I can talk to Anna about it when we get home this evening," Elsa offered, glancing over at him. "I doubt it has escaped her notice. But it does worry me as well. I hope it's just the two of them growing up."

"Let's hope Anna has some answers. I would hate to see a rift form in our family," he replied. "Family is everything. I would sacrifice anything, including my honor and my life, to save you all." He glanced over at her, and he saw her slight nod, a silent acknowledgement.

They rode on, lightening their mood by talking of other things, reminiscing about the past, their time together, and all the strange and wonderful things the children had done over the years. At the rate they were traveling, they would be home in time for a late dinner.

-

Over dinner that evening, Nik, Elsa, Kristoff, and Anna talked and laughed for a while. Nik and Elsa told of the events in the western territories. The Lord and Lady's children of one territory had put on a small play for them, and it'd been quite delightful. They'd reenacted parts of King Arthur's reign, with a very humorous twist.

When the laughter subsided, Kristoff spoke up. "Elsa, the mountain lakes seem a bit warmer than normal for this time of year. The ice is thinning, and I'm not sure it'll support the weight of the harvesters much longer, or the trade through the rest of the summer. Can you offer us some help?" he pleaded. He was looking out both for the safety of his men as well as the overall trade itself.

Elsa nodded. "I'm sure I can send along a spell to keep it cold on your next trip, Kristoff. We'll make sure your men are safe, and that the trade stays strong," she replied with a smile. "I know how important those men are, both to the trade and our kingdom."

At the far end of the table, Alek and Klara were unusually silent. Nik noticed that Klara hadn't touched her dinner, and Alek had eaten little more. He thought about asking what was wrong, but decided against it. Elsa had mentioned something to Anna, who was concerned but pretty certain it just had to do with growing up. So Nik shrugged it off, resigned to wait until one of them came to him.

Seconds later, he wished he hadn't.

Suddenly, Klara looked up to the ceiling and screamed. The candles in the room began shooting large flames, and the entire chandelier above them caught fire. Nik and Kristoff leapt up to shield their wives, and Alek jumped away from the table and Klara. She spun around, unleashing a blast of flames everywhere. Elsa managed to throw a wall of ice between Alek and Klara, shielding him, while Nik created a funnel of wind that sucked the flames away from the rest of them and out through the fireplace before anyone was hurt.

Klara looked around, and Nik noticed that her eyes appeared somewhat glazed. She locked eyes with each of them in turn, muttered something in a language none of them recognized, then bolted from the room. Kristoff and Anna ran after her, shouting for her to stop. Nik helped Elsa to her feet, and they both went to check on Alek, who sat huddled in the corner, tears on his cheeks.

"What was that about?" Nik asked quietly, not really expecting an answer. He looked around, noting the scorch marks on the walls and the damaged chandelier. "She hasn't had an outburst like that since she was a small child. That was either completely uncontrolled...or intentional."

Elsa looked up at him from where she knelt next to Alek, holding her son; he was shaken, but not hurt. "You don't think it was intentional, do you? That she would want to hurt any of us?" she asked, the worry evident in her voice. "Nik, she's been like our other child for fourteen years, and we've both mentored her with her powers. I can't believe she would lash out to hurt us on purpose."

Nik looked out the door, then knelt and met Elsa's gaze. The swirling gold flecks in his eyes betrayed his calm face. "If she did do it on purpose, she might not even realize what she's doing. Her eyes looked strange, almost glassy, when she released her magic. She could be under some kind of spell. We have to find out." His face hardened before he spoke again. "And I mean we, you and I. We're the only ones powerful or even capable enough to stand against a wild outburst like that."

She nodded and stood, pulling Alek with her. "Then let's go. Alek, please go to—"

"No!" he shouted, interrupting her. "She's my cousin. I know she could hurt me, but I can't just stay here. I'm coming with you, whether you want me to or not." When Nik started to speak, he interrupted again, "Don't even try to lock me up here. I'll just sneak out to look for her."

Nik frowned, having felt the room shake slightly when his son shouted. Klara must have unleashed more magic as she ran from the castle. He saw his son's fear just beneath the surface, concealed by concern for his cousin. He looked to Elsa, who just shrugged, knowing that this stubborn streak came from him. Finally he nodded and looked at his son. "Alright, you'll come. But should you encounter her, and she attempts to use magic, you are NOT to stand and fight. No argument. Son, you have no shields against a magical outburst. The best you can do is to run and find cover. Try to find us. Do you understand?" When Alek nodded, he continued. "Alright then. Let's get going." Nik took Elsa by the hand and strode from the room, grabbing Frostbite on the way. He glanced down at the sword in its scabbard, and somehow felt it would be needed today, and maybe not just for its magic capabilities. They headed for the stables, where they found Anna and Kristoff preparing to ride as well.

"Anna, are you sure you want to go after her too?" Elsa asked her sister. She moved over and rested a hand on the strawberry blonde's arm. "Remember what happened when you came after me? And when Klara was a toddler? You've been struck by uncontrolled magic so many times, are you sure you could survive it again?"

Anna shook her head, then stared at her sister. "It doesn't really matter if I can or not. Klara's my daughter, my own flesh and blood. I have to go look for her, and help her in any way I can." Kristoff stood beside her, his silence speaking volumes. The expression on his face showed his worry for his daughter.

"Let us give you all this then," Nik said as he approached, and began creating three spells and tying one each to Anna, Kristoff, and Alek. Elsa saw what he was doing, and did the same with three ice spells. "These are protection spells. They're each only good once, but if her power touches you, they'll react to keep you safe. It should keep her off balance enough for you to escape."

With that, they all mounted and headed out of the castle and towards the mountains. Two guards also rode with Alek for his protection. They broke up into three groups once they were outside the city, Nik with Elsa, Kristoff with Anna, and Alek and the guards. The hope was that they would find her soon. No one dared think on what could happen after that.


	15. Chasing Down Fire

"Too soon, you fool!" the old sorcerer yelled at him, slapping him across the face. Halvor took the blow, then stood straight again. "Your compulsion spell went off too soon! She's coming, but the rest are following!" He turned and shook his head, clearing the anger from his thoughts. When he turned back to Halvor, he was calmer. "We will have to work quickly. I need to harness her powers and use them to augment our own. Hopefully we can get back to Arendelle and turn the people against the boy before they return."

Halvor still didn't quite understand how that was going to play out, despite his father telling him repeatedly that they would do it. "How are we to do that, master?" he asked. He hated sounding like an imbecile, but there was little he could do at this point; he needed more details if he were going to be of any help.

"Ah, that will be the beauty. You see, she will 'save' the city from you, subduing you and reforming you. When the people see that she has used her power to save them, something their own King and Queen's son cannot do, they will demand she be named heir over him. The people will want a ruler who can and will protect them from danger using any means necessary. It takes magic to fight magic," his father explained. Halvor shivered; he didn't like the idea of fighting Klara, even if it was an act. "I am returning to the tunnels that lead to the house. Bring her when she arrives. Do NOT delay!"

Halvor nodded and found a spot overlooking the water, settling in to wait. He'd always enjoyed watching the waves crash along the shore, though they hadn't lived by it in a while. Part of always moving to remain hidden was the loss of such privileges. He hadn't been able to just sit and watch the surf in some time.

He didn't have to wait long for Klara. She ran into the clearing, skidding to a stop when she saw him. She panted from running for a moment, then stood straight. "I have come as you ordered, sir," she said hollowly, her eyes not really focusing on anything. "What is your command?"

-

Nik and Elsa rode in silence, listening for anything out of place. They both reached with their magic, trying to find any indication on where Klara might have gone. If her power was still running wild, she would have left some trail behind; even a singed leaf could have been her passing by.

"There!" Nik pointed to the ashen colored branch about arms length above the ground. He reached out to touch it, but when his fingers brushed it, it crumbled to a pile of ash on the ground.

"Yes," Elsa whispered, "she's been by here. I'm glad we found her trail before anyone else." The relief was plain on her face. She both hoped that her sister and son would stay safe, and far away from this area.

Nik simply nodded, spurring his horse along the trail at a trot. Elsa followed closely behind, her magic rising to her fingertips. She intended to do all she could to keep her husband safe as well. She just had to figure out how to save her niece from whatever was going on.

-

Alek rode ahead of and away from the guards, partly to keep them from seeing how scared he was. When they were out of sight, he stopped and stood tall on his horse, looking around. He caught sight of something, a flash of robes it looked like. He quickly dismounted and tied his horse, then slipped toward where he thought he saw it. Glancing around a tree, he saw an old man duck into a doorway, and heard the click as he locked it behind him. Something about the way the man moved told Alek he didn't want to follow him. However, he DID want to know what the man had been doing.

He moved down the pathway the old man had come along, moving as silently as possible. Alek could hear the surf pounding not far away. As he approached the cliffs, he began to hear voices coming from a clearing ahead. As he got closer, he heard horses crashing through the brush, then whinny as they were reined in, and he paused. He continued forward when he heard his father's voice shouting. He broke into a run when he felt the blast of heat, the gust of wind, and the sudden cold.

-

Nik leapt from his horse and over Elsa's, pulling her to the ground with him. The poor beasts took the brunt of the blast, and his wall of wind and debris absorbed the rest. Elsa rose to a crouch quickly, then returned a blast of ice and created a barrier for them to take shelter behind.

Nik felt a brief pang of guilt for not shielding the horses too, but there was little he could do now. Elsa's safety was his primary concern, and he'd had but a fraction of a second to act. That and he needed to concentrate on stopping his niece and this friend of hers. He drew Frostbite, then glanced around the corner of the barrier and watched as Halvor created three projectile-shaped objects and sent them flying at Elsa's ice wall. They hit hard, blowing chunks of ice off the far side, but the wall held.

Nik crouched and turned to Elsa. "I'm going to try to get around them. Maybe we can at least break their concentration, and divide their attention," he thought aloud. She nodded, then rose slightly to send another cold blast at her niece.

He rolled out from behind the wall and started to run. He didn't get very far when a blast of those projectiles hit the earth directly in front of him, knocking him backward, Frostbite torn from his hand and singing as it tumbled through the air. He heard Elsa shout for him, then felt her small hands grab his shoulders. He kicked as best he could to help her pull him to safety. When they were safe behind the barrier again, he tried to sit up, and found he couldn't just yet. His head throbbed painfully, and the world spun every time he rose.

-

Anna and Kristoff came to the clearing just as Nik fell. Anna screamed as she watched him fly through the air, his sword flung in another direction. Kristoff shouted at his daughter. "Klara, please! Stop this madness! This isn't you! We're your family!"

Klara turned when she heard them. Her eyes, Anna noticed, were glazed over as if she couldn't even see. She watched as her daughter shook her head, then launched a ring of fire at them. Kristoff pulled her down as the ring landed all around them, effectively trapping them in place. The sorcerer seemed to pay them no mind.

Anna did the only thing she could. She shouted at her daughter, pleading with her to wake up and save her family.

-

Alek had seen it all unfold from his cover. His parents were trapped behind a wall of ice, his aunt and uncle inside a ring of fire. He'd stopped at the edge of the clearing, trying to decide if he should just charge in, run, or find another way to save them all.

He crouched in some bushes, watching as his father finally managed to crouch shakily. As he watched another fire blast leave his cousin's hands, he caught a glimpse of steel near himself. Alek crawled to it, grabbing Frostbite by the hilt and pulling it in front of him as he crouched behind a tree. He looked at the nearly blue blade, his eyes wandering to the hilt, where the wolf's head stared at him. The eyes now glowed a very bright red. He thought it odd, but pushed the thought aside quickly. He looked around the tree and watched as both a blast of fire and the magic projectiles crashed into his mother's ice wall, knocking huge chunks of it away. Another impact like that and they would be completely exposed.

He made his decision almost without realizing it. The fear for his own life told him to run, but the fear of his parents getting hurt won out. 'Family before Honor, Family before Life,' he told himself. Alek rose, stepped from cover, and slowly walked out onto the battlefield, Frostbite in his hand. He could feel everyone's eyes lock on him, including Klara's and Halvor's. He hoped his parents would take the chance to rescue his aunt and uncle and escape.

Instead, he heard his mother scream. "Alek! Run! Get out of here!"

-

Klara stopped everything, the magic still coursing through her. She watched as the boy strode toward her, knowing she had to do something, to either stop him or go to him. The confusion was beginning to hurt her head, and she could barely think. There was one voice in her head ordering her to attack, to kill them all. Another voice screamed at her to stop, to rein in her power and give up, or turn on the boy next to her.

She clutched her head as this new boy...Alek, that was his name, Alek...continued toward her. Finally she threw her head back and let out a scream that caused him to stop. She looked around herself, the voice commanding her to attack winning out once again. She raised both hands, one toward the ice wall, the other toward the ring of fire. A fireball grew at each palm until they were at full strength, and she released both of them at the same time.

-

Alek started to move again when he saw both fireballs leave Klara's palms. Suddenly, the ground quaked beneath his feet, and everything stopped. He glanced around and saw leaves frozen in place, the individual flames of the fireballs as they sat in midair. Then everything began to blur, and he saw movement.

Out of the blur came first one person, then another, then seven. He looked around as they came up to him and stopped, their faces clearing. As he looked at them all, he began to recognize them from paintings in Arendelle and Stonewell. They were all kings and queens long gone. Directly in front of him stood Aleksander, his great grandfather.

"Aleksander, my namesake, you must act. Your sister who isn't will destroy you and everyone you love if you don't." Aleksander said in a hushed tone.

"How?" Alek shouted over the wind that was blowing. "I have nothing that can stand up to her magic, no magic of my own! There's nothing I can do!" He felt the tears begin to slide down his cheeks.

His great grandfather slowly shook his head. "No, Alek, you are wrong. We are the past kings and queens who have had magical abilities. You, too, have your own magic, you have simply never needed it, and so it has remained dormant. You are more than simply named after me. You also have my magic," he explained. "Have you ever had a bad dream, and noticed things in your room moved? Or felt the ground shake when you were angered? You have the ability to control the very ground you walk on. Use that power now. Your family depends on it!"

Then they were gone, and the world snapped back into focus.

-

Time still stood still, but Alek could feel something was different, something inside him. He still stood with Frostbite in his hand, the eyes of the wolf gleaming red. He reached out with his thoughts, and found he could feel every rock, every grain of dirt around him. It was a very odd sensation.

He only had a moment to wonder if his parents felt this way before time slowly began to move again. He watched the fireballs begin to move and the wind blew the leaves away. With just a thought, he lifted two large boulders and flung them into the paths of the fireballs. The explosion was immediate, and hunks of smoking rock flew everywhere; the shockwave also blew out the ring of fire around his aunt and uncle. Another thought created shield walls of stone in front of his parents and Anna and Kristoff.

The fight stopped for a moment as he felt all eyes turn to him again. He didn't have time to look around though. Halvor launched another volley of magic projectiles, though he easily deflected them with more rocks. Knowing he couldn't hope to match Halvor and Klara blast for blast, he turned to the earth under their feet. Summoning his magic, he called forth the only help he could think of: a pair of golems, one clay, one stone. They were beings of myths and legends that no living person had actually seen until now.

The clay golem immediately launched itself at Halvor with a roar. Halvor unleashed his magic at it, watching the clay begin to melt and soften. Still it advanced. Klara, standing a few yards away, unleashed a fireball on it and the stone golem. The clay golem sagged and hardened into a clump, its purpose of a distraction served. The stone golem, unaffected by the heat and flame, continued its advance.

While the golems had them distracted, Alek turned his attention to Klara. With a pang of guilt, he raised his hand, shifted the ground under her feet rapidly, and launched her into a nearby tree, disorienting her. She slumped to the ground, dazed. Keeping an eye on her, Alek turned back to Halvor...

And watched as his stone golem slid on some soft mud Halvor had created. It fell and slid past him, coming to a stop a few feet away, both of them near the edge of the cliff. Halvor watched it for a moment before turning his attention to Alek. Alek wasted no time. He drew a line along the ground with Frostbite; as he did, the ground erupted and split open in front of Halvor.

Before he could move, the stone golem reached out and grabbed Halvor in a crushing grip, snapping the bones in his leg. With Halvor disabled, Alek pushed against the now-loose hunk of ground with his mind and watched as the entire edge of the cliff leaned away and fell, taking Halvor and his golem with it. It crashed into the water and rocks several hundred feet below.

He turned then to face his cousin, who had just risen to her feet, another pair of fireballs held in her palms. When the cliff face crashed with a roar, the flames in her hands suddenly went out. As he looked into her eyes, he watched them clear to their ordinary brown once more. She blinked and shook her head, then looked at the destruction around her. She locked eyes with Alek again, then clutched her head and fell to her knees, screaming, until she slumped over unconscious.

-

The old man felt the ground shake violently, and leaned against the wall to steady himself. When he felt the magical connection between himself and Halvor, and by extension Klara, sever, he knew the boy had failed. Again.

He smiled to himself, glad he had prepared for this. His back-up plan would still gain him this entire kingdom, even if no one was left in it. He hoped it wouldn't get to that point; he would rather have peasants to rule.


	16. What I've Done

Klara wandered in a fog as her memories swirled around her. She saw Halvor in her room, reciting some ancient incantation. That was followed by a hazy image of herself on the throne, an image that quickly imploded on itself. Next came an eruption of flame, then running through the forest. Fighting; ice, fire, and wind. Her mother screaming, her father shouting for her to stop and help. Then, explosions of rock. A large creature pulling Halvor off the cliff.

Everything was so hazy, and she began to fear she would never see clearly again. Finally, she had a clear memory: Alek in front of her, his father's sword raised in his hand, standing tall as she fell, screaming.

-

She sat up in her bed, still hearing screams. It took her a moment to realize that they were her own, and another to force herself to stop. She was still panting from the dream when her parents rushed into the room, followed quickly by a doctor. "What happened?" she asked when she saw the fear, concern, and relief on their faces. 'It was all a dream, right?' she asked herself. No light came in the window, but she'd never had a nightmare before.

Her mother pulled her close and held her, weeping. "Oh my baby, my little girl! We were afraid you'd never wake up! Even Granpabbie couldn't tell us for sure what was wrong, just that you were lost in a fog. Thank goodness you're awake!"

'Well, I guess it wasn't a dream, then,' Klara thought as she sat and enjoyed her mother's warmth; it was a few moments before she even thought to say more aloud. "Wait. How long have I been sleeping?" she finally asked. She was afraid of the answer to that question, and all the others she still needed to ask.

Her father was the one who answered. "Almost two weeks, sweetie. That's why we were so scared. When Alek's golem drug that friend of yours off the cliff, you collapsed screaming. We didn't know what had happened," he explained. His face showed the relief that came through in his voice.

That explained parts of her dream, and made some things clearer. "Halvor is dead. He'd put a spell on me, something a master sorcerer had taught him. He...he wanted me to get rid of all of you and claim the throne," she explained slowly and cautiously, unsure if they'd believe her, or how they'd react. "They wanted to rule through me."

Her mother only held her tighter, while her father sat down and held them both. "Don't worry about that now, sweetheart," Anna said quietly. "It's enough that you're safe with us again. We'll deal with the rest of that later."

She let them hold her for a moment before she put her arms around them as well. She still needed to see her aunt and uncle. Klara had no idea what they would do, since she'd almost hurt both of them. As King and Queen, she would deserve time in the dungeon if they wished it, and she would go willingly. Her family was everything, and Halvor had almost forced her to destroy it.

There was one other person she feared to see above all others, but she knew he'd be looking for her. She would have to face Aleksander, and whatever had happened to him. And she would have to do it soon.

-

She was still recovering the next morning when her aunt and uncle came to see her. She wasn't sure she was ready, but she sat up straight in her bed and smiled weakly at them. Her mind and memories were still somewhat fuzzy, but she knew she owed them an apology, and much more. "Hello, Aunt Elsa, Uncle Nik. I am so, SO sorry for—" she began.

Elsa held up her hand, a small smile on her face. "Maybe in a bit, Klara," she began. "Right now, let's just be family. How are you feeling?" She sat on the end of the bed, gazing into Klara's brown eyes with her own icy blue ones.

Klara looked away, watching as her uncle moved silently to the window and stared out to the water, Frostbite slung across his back as he usually did when he felt his family was threatened. She teared up as she remembered how she'd unleashed such power against them, then looked back to Elsa. "I'm doing okay. I remember more things clearly now. I don't know how Halvor managed to get his spells on me, but the remnants of them are going away. Now I just have to figure out how to live with the things I've done to those I love. I hope you all can forgive me." The tears flowed more freely down her face as she finished.

Her uncle moved over to her now and sat on the stool by her bed. He took her hand in his own and began slowly, "Klara, as magical beings, we always have things we must come to terms with. Your aunt injured your mother twice, once so badly it almost killed her. Yet through all that, your mother still loves her dearly, and would do anything for her. Both of my brothers have faced death for me, despite the many times my powers caused them injury. I," he paused, apparently remembering something very painful, and giving a visible shudder, "did some things in Damond, years ago before I knew your Aunt, that I deeply regret. I even find myself often wondering if my father would still be alive if he hadn't been injured from a recent practice session with me when he fought off those raiders. To those of us who love you, there is nothing to apologize for. It has all been forgiven."

She smiled at his explanation. It put her mind a bit more at ease, knowing both that they forgave her and that she was unlikely to see the dungeons. "Thank you, Uncle Nik, Aunt Elsa," she whispered as she wiped away tears. She figured now was as good a time as any to ask the next hard question. "Where is Alek? I remember him standing in front of me with your sword, and I vaguely remember him calling on the earth to defend everyone."

Elsa answered her. "Alek spent the first week sitting on that stool, Klara. He never once left your side," she explained. "He believed more than any of us that you would come back, and that you'd be safe. It looks like he was right." She smiled at that, and rested a hand on her niece's.

"But where is he now?" Klara asked again. "I was so hard on him, so mean to him over the last year while I was under Halvor's spells. I need to apologize to him, try to make things right..." she trailed off as the memories of what she had done, and the wall she had built between them, suddenly became even clearer. She almost began to cry.

This time Nik answered. "Klara, he forgave you the first time you yelled at him. He never thought it was really you trying to push him away, and he'll probably tell you the same thing. You must remember, you are his sister who isn't. He will never hold a grudge against you," he explained. "He's out in the yard over at the garrison, practicing. If you're up to it, we'll take you over there. If not, we'll send him here when he's done."

"No," she answered, "I'm ready. Please, take me to see him."

Nik waited outside while Elsa helped her get out of bed and dressed. Then they all walked to the garrison. Klara had never been more scared in her life.

-

Blocking spears and javelins flying through the air was easy. They flew slow enough that he could easily intercept them with rocks and stones. Arrows and crossbow bolts, on the other hand, were much harder. He only missed one out of every twenty, but that would be all someone needed to end him. He didn't feel ready to have arrows flying at himself yet.

He'd started the day much worse, stopping only one in ten, so his aim was improving. He still knew he wasn't good enough at this, but he wanted to learn. He HAD to learn. So he'd taken to practicing daily, both at this and other aspects of his magic. He hadn't called another golem, but he had practiced building small structures like walls, opening and closing rifts in stones and boulders, and other things. His powers were quite impressive, but he knew he hadn't explored their true depths.

Another volley had just been launched when he saw motion to his right. He turned, and froze for a moment when he realized who was standing there. He didn't know she was awake.

A few shouts from the yard refocused him, and he launched several rocks into the air. Every rock found and dropped an arrow. With that, he signaled the captain that he was finished, wiped his brow, and strode over to where his parents and Klara stood.

He stopped in front of her, realizing for the first time that he was a few inches taller than her now. He saw her hands shaking slightly at her sides, and looked into her eyes. Her clear, brown eyes, that had tears forming in the corners. He saw the fear and uncertainty in them, and knew it was because of him.

She looked up at him, meeting his eyes. A tear slid down her cheek as she began to speak. "Alek, I'm—" she began. It was all she managed to say.

He wrapped his arms around her in a crushing sibling embrace, tears sliding down his own cheeks. He wept for a moment before he could find any words. "Klara! Oh my god, Klara, I'm so glad you're back!" The words came out in a rush, his fear of losing his sister who wasn't gone, replaced by pure joy. "I've missed you," he finished.

She put her head on his shoulder and let herself cry as Nik and Elsa slipped away to talk with the captain about Alek's training regimen. After a moment, Klara pulled back and looked at his face again. "Alek, I'm still not strong enough, can we sit and talk?"

He nodded, wiped away a few tears, and lead her to the viewing benches. They sat, her facing the practice field, him facing her. The tears had stopped, but the smile on his face and the light in his eyes weren't going anywhere. "When did you wake up?" he asked. He hoped it hadn't been long, because he'd wanted to be there when she did.

"Last night," she answered quietly. "My mother and father were there when I woke. Oh my god Alek, this has been such a nightmare!" she said as she buried her face in her hands.

He touched her shoulder. "It's going to be okay, Klara," he promised her, trying to reassure her. "You're safe. You came back to us. I know it wasn't you shutting me out. I know Halvor was manipulating you. You don't have to apologize or explain anything to me."

She looked at him, fresh tears in her eyes. "He had me under several spells, Alek," she began. "Some of them were very powerful. I don't even remember everything that's happened in the last year yet; some of it is still coming back to me. I know I said very hurtful things to you, and I know I built a wall between us. I hope I can tear it back down." His smile reassured her, so she continued, "I never even realized how evil he was until his spell was broken. If he'd succeeded, you would all be dead and I would have lived under a spell for the rest of my life. He wanted to put me on the throne and use his magic to control me."

Alek just nodded, letting her talk while she got it out. "It was hard, Klara, watching the distance grow between us. But I never really thought you were doing it. How much of the last few days before you passed out do you remember?" he asked. He wasn't sure what he could fill her in on, but he wanted to help fill any gaps in her memory that he could.

"Not as much as I'd like to," she started. "I vaguely remember sitting at dinner, and trying to set the room on fire. I hope I didn't hurt any of you. I remember finding Halvor in the woods near a cliff edge, and him casting yet another spell on me, I think. The rest is somewhat blurry. I have memories of my parents in a ring of fire, and yours stuck behind a wall of ice that was crumbling faster than Aunt Elsa could rebuild it. And then there's you," she stared at him, not sure how to continue.

"I remember seeing you walk into the clearing carrying Frostbite. Then rocks were flying everywhere, and two great beasts rose out of the ground. One I helped destroy. Then I remember the ground lurching beneath me, and suddenly I was flying through the air. I remember Halvor screaming, then the entire edge of the cliff falling. The very last memory I have is you, standing in front of me with that sword raised, and my own screams. I honestly thought I'd died at your hand." The tears were flowing now, and she couldn't hold them back.

He hugged her again and held her while she cried. "To be honest, Klara, I don't remember much more of it than you. It all happened so fast," he explained. "Right before the rocks started flying, time stopped for me, and I could swear I heard my great grandfather telling me I had dormant powers. When things moved again, I DID have magic. I blocked your fireballs and Halvor's projectiles. I called the golems from the ground." He hesitated before going further, not sure how she would take the rest of what he had to say. "I had to stop you, so I used the ground to throw you. I broke the edge of the cliff loose with my magic, and pushed it into the water."

She sat there for a moment, absorbing what he'd said. He had used his new magic to stop her, then used it to save her life by taking another. She didn't know how she felt about that, and she knew he must be struggling with it as well. So she said the truth. "Thank you, Alek, for saving my life." He tightened his arms around her.

After a moment she pulled away some and looked him up and down, her hands back in her lap. "So, earth magic, huh? That's got to be interesting."

He laughed as he turned back toward the field. "Any magic would be interesting to me, since I didn't know I had any. The voice of my great grandfather said that I'd always had powers, but just never needed them," he explained slowly and thoughtfully. "Maybe it was because I was always around others whose magic could protect me. But several passages in his journal make sense now; he was trying to explain how the magic felt."

She elbowed him quickly. "It's too bad they're only showing up now. It would have made those childhood fights all the more interesting." She laughed as she said the last.

He laughed along with her. "Yeah, instead of just replacing linens and draperies, our parents would have been rebuilding whole castles! We'd have all been out of a home more often than we were in one!" They both laughed hard for a minute.

Suddenly Klara sat up straight, a pained look on her face. "Oh no," she whispered as another repressed memory came back to her.

Alek looked at her, the smile on his face suddenly disappearing, and followed when she jumped up and ran to his parents. "What is it? Klara? What's going on?" He was very worried now, since she wasn't responding.

They slid to a stop in front of Nik and Elsa, interrupting their conversation with the captain of the garrison. "Uncle Nik, Aunt Elsa!" Klara panted out.

"Whoa, slow down, girl," Nik exclaimed, putting a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong? You look like you've just seen a ghost or something."

"I think I have," she began slowly. "I just remembered something Halvor said to me, something he mentioned several times actually. He kept referencing someone else, saying 'us' whenever he talked about plans. It didn't include me, though at the time I thought it did. But it didn't click until Alek and I were talking. I remembered him saying he was taking me to his master, or father, he called him both. Then you rode up."

"What are you saying, Klara?" Elsa asked, the concern very evident in her voice.

"This isn't over," she told them all. "His master is still out there, and he's coming. He still wants the kingdom, even if he's the only one left in it."


	17. Who's the King of the Mountain?

The old sorcerer sat in front of the hearth, watching the flames dance to and fro. He'd been biding his time, letting his strength build. This would have been easier and faster if that fool Halvor hadn't failed. He couldn't completely fault the boy, for no one knew the Prince had been hiding magic for fourteen years. And from what he learned in recent days, Nikolaus' magic wasn't from a talisman either; no, he hadn't felt it years ago because, like the rest of that accursed family, the King had been BORN with magic.

He threw more salts on the fire, creating more smoke for him to sift through. It had already shown him the events of the battle, and the death of his son. Oh how he wished he could get to both of those kids. Fire AND earth magic? He could reshape the land to one of his liking!

He doubted it would be possible now though. They were all alerted to outside threats, and any attempt at manipulation by magic would be futile. So he would simply have to destroy them all, even if it meant destroying the entire kingdom. Oh, those northern brothers of the King would put up a fight, but without magic they'd be no problem.

No, the real threat was here in Arendelle, and in a few more days he would be ready to strike. Nikolaus and his family would fall, and he would have a kingdom far greater than Damond.

-

Magnar had packed for this journey a month ago, and it had taken him the better part of a day to get where he needed to go. It was a small valley east of the harbor, where steam vents kept it impossibly warm. Yes, this would be an excellent place to work his magic. He could cast the spell on himself, then return to Arendelle and unleash his power. He'd make short work of that royal family, then claim the throne for himself.

He lit the pyre he'd prepared months ago, and watched as the flames grew into the night. He began chanting slowly, the ancient words leaving his lips quietly at first. The flames changed from yellow to orange, then red and blue, and finally to an eerie green. As he continued the spell, he moved closer to the fire, watching as the flames opened for him, allowing him to walk into them. When he finished the words, he was completely inside the flames.

"Now, by the powers of darkness, give me the strength and power of the dragon, to defeat my enemies and claim what is mine!" he shouted into the night sky. The flames leapt and swirled about him, licking his skin and hair with their eerie green color. Then with a blast of impossibly hot wind, the flames drew into his body, and he collapsed to his knees, the fire extinguished.

After a few moments, Magnar rose and moved to the water, where he washed the ash from his hands and face. He carefully studied the reflection in the water, and saw the sickly green flames swirling in the eyes that stared back at him. He turned, raising his hands, and shouted for all the world to hear, "I am Magnar, the powerful! All will kneel before me, or die!"

He listened to his words echo off the rocks, then began the long walk back to his townhouse. The cool night air refreshed him, and the power surging inside him granted him the strength to make the journey quickly.

-

Magnar woke the next morning to the sounds of the city. He moved to the window and looked out over the city, listening to the sounds of the people, people he would rule by the end of the day, should the city survive. The battle here would be a great one, and when the royal family fell, ALL would bow to him or die.

He smiled and went downstairs to prepare for his assault. He ate little, since his plan would require him to have no extra distractions. Then he settled in to wait, needing the morning to pass. His powers would be greatest in the afternoon, and his chance of failure lessened.

'Yes, enjoy your morning, peasants,' he thought to himself. 'This afternoon, your world will burn in my magic.'

-

Nik paced around the room, Frostbite across his back. The look on his face was one of concentration mixed with fear for his entire family. Elsa stood by the table, watching her husband pace. "My love, what do you think we should do?" she asked, not sure if he would answer. He'd said nothing to anyone for almost an hour. None of them had slept well in days, and she wasn't sure Nik had slept at all.

Klara and Alek sat at the table in the room, watching his parents. Anna and Kristoff sat beside them, not sure what they could do against a sorcerer but needing to support their loved ones. "What if this sorcerer comes and unleashes his magic on the city?" Anna asked. "What will happen to all the people?"

That got Nik to stop and turn to them. "If what Klara's told us is true, and I believe it is after dealing with Halvor, then the people will be in grave danger. The city will NOT withstand his magic," he warned. He looked at each of them in turn, then continued, "I believe he's coming for us, specifically those of us with magic. He would know that we are the only things between him and victory, so he'll concentrate on us. The best we can do here is hope to keep the damage concentrated on the castle."

Alek thought for a moment, then spoke. "What if we drew him away from the city?" That drew curious stares from everyone. "What I mean is, he'll look for us, and may even be watching us, hoping we'll split up. What if we left the city and drew him away, where even if we fail, the city will be spared?"

Nik smiled at Elsa. "And he says he isn't ready to lead," he chuckled. To Alek, he continued, "That's an excellent idea, son. Getting him away should be easy enough, since he'll still want to focus on us. But the question is, where would we lead him?"

Klara spoke up. "We could lead him out to sea. Uncle Nik, you could create a storm that would sink his ship, and he could drown," she thought.

Nik considered that for a moment, then shook his head. "The idea has merit, Klara, but it restricts us too much. We would be just as much at his mercy, and I don't know if I can create a storm powerful enough to defeat him alone. It also leaves Alek with no source to draw his strength from. No, we need somewhere we can all work together. We also need a place where Anna and Kristoff can escape from quickly, since we don't want them being taken captive."

Everyone thought hard. In the end, it was Kristoff who spoke up. "I have a crazy idea, but it might be the best answer." When they all looked at him expectantly, he continued. "What about the North Mountain? Elsa's palace of ice? It's cold, so he'll be distracted. It's remote, so any damage done won't matter. And it would allow you all to unleash your full power on him."

Elsa was the first to react. "I haven't been there in fifteen years, since...well, we all know the story," she said quietly, lowering her eyes. Nik moved to her, putting his arms around her. She held on to him, using his presence to fight off the memories. After all these years, his presence still comforted her like no one else's. Even Anna's presence didn't comfort her like his when their magics called to one another, though she was a close second.

Alek stood up, looking at a map on the table. "Uncle Kristoff, I think you're right. It's the best place to go," he gestured to the map, noting the vast expanse around the mountain. "The closest settlement is ten miles away. Any people who might be close enough to see anything would be well out of range. There are also plenty of hidden escape routes and places to take cover for you two. It could work!"

Anna nodded. "I'm not afraid to go. I'm only afraid of losing any of you. I love you all, and I'll do whatever is needed for any of you."

Klara finally spoke up. "I caused all of this, and I feel responsible. If this is where we're going to make our stand, then I'm for it. My family is everything."

Nik stood straight by Elsa. "Then it's decided," he began. "We leave for the North Mountain as soon as everyone's packed and ready." With that, he took Elsa by the hand and headed for their rooms to pack a few things. Everyone else did the same.

-

Later that morning, six riders left the castle headed north, one mounted on a reindeer, the rest on horses. The royal family wore cloaks emblazoned with their family sigil, the wolf's head superimposed on a snowflake. It was no secret that they were going north, though when asked, the Herald simply said they were going to the summer palace for a family vacation.

Magnar wasn't so sure. The girl may have remembered about him, despite his instructions to Halvor. The fool once again had made a mistake. It angered him that he could no longer discipline the boy. The royal family heading out of the city probably meant they were trying to lure him away from it. If that was the case, so much the better; he would rather have a place to live and peasants to serve him.

He made his way to the community stable and gathered his horse. He would simply follow them to their destination. There was no need for a timetable now. Wherever he caught up to them, the ensuing battle would be their end.

Disguised once again as an old man, he rode out of the city, taking the same trail north as they did. The sickly green fire in his eyes grew more intense with every passing hour, and soon, he would unleash that power and destroy them all.

-

It was mid afternoon the next day before they reached the North Mountain. Everything was as it had been years ago, the cold having preserved the ice palace. It was covered in snow, and the damage done when Hans lead the raiding party under the guise of finding Anna was still evident, but the spires still gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight.

Nik let out a low whistle. "Very impressive, love," he said to Elsa, not taking his eyes off the towering ice structure. "You did an amazing job with this." It was the first time he'd actually been close enough to appreciate the palace. "I'm glad Aksel was here to stop the Duke's thugs. I would never have been blessed with this family," he said quietly, glancing over at her.

She looked up at the palace, the memories flooding her thoughts: running from her coronation, building the ice palace, lashing out wildly and nearly killing Anna, the last battle fought here. Finally she smiled weakly. "I just wish I'd built it under happier circumstances," she said quietly, looking over at Anna. Her sister just smiled, the forgiveness clear in her eyes.

They dismounted at the base of the damaged staircase; there was no sign of Marshmallow, though reports had him a little ways to the east. Anna and Kristoff stayed by Sven and her horse, while Nik and Elsa moved to the edge of the cliff, watching the valley for any sign of their opponent. It would be better for them all if they caught sight of him first.

Klara and Alek climbed the stairs and went inside the palace, knowing this might be their only chance to explore the ice palace his mother built. As they wandered around inside, they admired Elsa's talent with her powers.

"My mother MADE this place?" Alek wondered aloud. "She's incredibly powerful. Can you imagine what it would take to call something like this into being?"

Klara shook her head. "The sheer amount of strength would be impressive," she began, "but I bet you could do something similar, Alek. Your powers allow you to create something that can last. Uncle Nik's and my own can leave a lasting impression, but the actual magic dissipates quickly, and we can't build permanent structures.."

He nodded, then headed up the staircase to the upper level. Klara followed close behind, neither of them wanting to get lost. Upstairs they found the evidence of the battle that had been fought years ago, before either of them had been born. Under a layer of snow, a series of ice spikes dotted the floor. In the middle of the room, a large pile of ice shards was all that remained of the massive chandelier. The great doors to the balcony lay in shattered piles outside.

They walked out onto the now railless balcony and looked out over the entire mountain range. From up here, they could see for miles. Looking down into the valley, Alek squinted, seeing what looked like movement. Looking harder, he nudged Klara. "Look, down in the valley. Is that someone on a horse?"

Klara looked for a moment, then nodded. "He took the bait. We have to go warn the others." With that, she turned and ran down the stairs and out of the palace, Alek hard on her heels.

"Uncle Nik! Aunt Elsa!" she shouted as they came down the broken stairs. "He's coming! Down in the valley. We saw a lone rider, headed this way," she explained as they slid to a stop in front of them.

Nik nodded. "Well, this is it. Anna, Kristoff, mount up and head for cover down the mountain. Get to your family, Kristoff, if you can make it," he instructed. Kristoff nodded, and Nik turned back to the others. "We make our stand as a family here. We must do our best to make our powers work together. Use your instincts, and don't hold anything back. Let your powers flow, just try to direct them at him."

Elsa drew Coldsaber and held it out, watching as it once again became a blade of ice, her power dancing along its length. Klara flashed flames along her fingertips, then extinguished them. Nik drew Frostbite, lightning dancing along its length for a moment before he called it back.

"Alek, my son," he began, holding out the sword hilt first. "You have the least experience with your magic, so this will do you the most good. It creates a collection point for the release of your magic, as you might have noticed on the cliff edge. You may need that focus here," he said, handing the sword to Alek.

Alek took the sword, feeling his magic surge. He found he could feel the rock deep inside the mountain now. "Thank you, father. I will try to be worthy of this sword. I know what it means to you."

Nik smiled and rested his hand on Alek's shoulder. "It's not just what it means to me, son. Our ancestor forged it, and it has become an emblem of the King and our house. One day, it will be yours to carry."

The sound of a horse made them all turn, forming a line. The rider crested the rise, then dismounted. "Greetings, King Nikolaus, Queen Elsa. Prince Alek and Princess Klara, how nice to see you all," the sorcerer said with an evil smile, the sickly green light flashing in his eyes. "You all made such short work of my apprentice. I plan to give you a much harder time. I am Magnar, the powerful!" he exclaimed, spreading his arms for emphasis. "When this day is done, your kingdom will be mine! All will fear me!"

"I remember you, Magnar, from Damond. I regret many things about that day, but I regret letting you leave most. If you want to be feared as a ruler, go elsewhere," Nik countered. "The people of these lands are NOT going to be ruled in fear. You did not take Damond; you will not succeed here."

"Ah, the ever-serving ruler. How I hate that," Magnar sneered. "I will destroy you all, one by one. We shall see how well your people stand against me then!"

"We stand as one, Magnar," Nik informed him. "Save yourself the trouble and surrender. You cannot stand against the four of us."

Magnar laughed. "Not in this form, no. But..." he exclaimed, then threw his head back in a roar.

The roar increased in volume, and mist began to swirl and grow. From the mist emerged enormous wings, then a tail. As the mist cleared, a massive dragon stood before them, flames of that sickly green color flashing from its nostrils.

It spoke then. "But in this form, I shall destroy you all!" it bellowed, then released a blast of dragon flame directly at them.

Alek and Elsa reacted at the same instant, creating a wall of ice and stone as their magics united for a common purpose. The wall absorbed and reflected the flames, causing Magnar the dragon to leap back. "A nice trick," the dragon roared. "But it'll take more than that to stop me!"

Nik rose above the wall, calling his magic and releasing powerful bolts of lightning at the dragon. Klara stood beside her uncle, releasing a series of fireblasts. Both magics swirled together, impacting the dragon's chest and knocking it backward. It recovered quickly and took to the air, the wind from its great wings knocking them all off their feet.

It looped around the spires of the ice palace, knocking one free. It tumbled down the mountain towards them, causing them to scatter. Alek rolled and created a rift in the mountain, stopping the avalanche before it could sweep them all away.

As the dragon looped back around, it released another blast of flames. Alek and Klara dove out of the way, while Nik tried to shield Elsa with his body; when he didn't feel the heat, he looked up and saw she'd created a dome of ice over them. The flames licked and melted at it, but it held. As the dragon passed, Elsa released a massive blast of cold magic at it, hitting and freezing one of its wings. The dragon roared and spiraled out of control into the side of the mountain, sliding before regaining its footing, the frozen wing brittle but undamaged. It used its own fire to melt the ice, then prepared to launch into the air.

Seeing an opportunity, Nik created a maelstrom around the entire mountain, reaching down deep within himself and using all his strength. The winds tore at the dragon, making it impossible for it to fly. Lightning struck it repeatedly, leaving burn marks across its body. The dragon roared in protest, but didn't appear to be weakening.

Elsa added her wintry powers to the storm, sending shards of ice into the dragon's scaly body. The ice built up, but the dragon shook with a screech and broke through. She poured more of her magic into the storm, yet the dragon still held on.

Klara focused her firestorm on the dragon as well, heating the ice and snow around the dragon to a boil, burning at the dragon's feet and claws. It hissed in pain and lashed out with its own flames, cutting through the storm and scattering them once more.

As the storm continued to rage, Alek moved to the center of the clearing, locking eyes with the dragon. Flames, ice, and lightning swirled around, striking dangerously close. He raised Frostbite at the dragon defiantly, and the dragon roared in return, turning and preparing to risk a launch into the slowly weakening storm.

With only seconds to act, Alek slammed Frostbite tip first into the ground, unleashing his magic. The ground screamed and cracked, and the mountain groaned. The dragon looked around, confusion in its eyes. Suddenly, the mountain opened like a mouth under the dragon, revealing a pit of molten rock deep in the earth. With a thought, Alek brought a hand of molten rock out of the pit, grabbing the dragon around the neck. It screamed in agony, releasing an unfocused blast of flame that coated the mountain and rushed toward him and everyone else. Drawing from deep within himself, Alek forced the closed hand of molten rock back down, dragging the dragon with it. As it disappeared, he used another thought to collapse the mountain in on itself, sealing away the now melting dragon and the pit. The ice palace collapsed in with the mountain, the massive amount of cold ice instantly hardening the rocks into place, creating a new solid surface and forever altering the appearance of the North Mountain.

He felt the wind buffet him and the ice and heat surround him at the same time the dragon's flame impacted him. The swirling and crashing magics made him cry out as they collided, throwing him like a doll. He clung to Frostbite and closed his eyes as he flew through the air, and feared he might never open them again.

When he landed, his head thudded against something solid, and he felt nothing else.


	18. Dragonslayer

Is he ever going to wake?" Klara asked, the concern evident on her face. She sat next to Alek, using her heat magic to warm the blankets they'd wrapped around him as they sat inside a small shelter of ice.

He'd taken the brunt of the dragon's last eruption of power. The three of them had tried to shield him, but at best they'd taken the edge off. He'd been thrown several hundred feet down the mountain, somehow keeping his hold on Frostbite. He was still clutching the blade, as no one could open his hand. His grip on the hilt was as strong as the stone of the mountain.

Elsa sat on the other side of him, watching her son's face as he lay there. "I don't know, Klara," she began as a tear slid down her cheek. "I hope so. I don't know what I'd do if we lost him."

Klara agreed. She stared down at her cousin's drawn face, wondering if this was how he felt during the two weeks she'd been comatose. She hated it, and he'd only been laying there for a few hours.

Nik had ridden down the mountain after Kristoff and Anna, to let them know it was safe to return to Arendelle. He planned to return as soon as possible, but they built the small shelter just in case. Klara had lit a small fire, then put warming spells on the blankets. Now, all the two women could do was wait.

-

He wandered through the caves, moving from one cavern to another, Frostbite clutched in his hand. He was looking for something, but he wasn't sure what. An exit? A person? He couldn't remember. All Alek knew was that he had to stay quiet and keep moving.

As he wandered, a thought occured to him. 'How did I even GET in these caves?' he wondered. 'The last I remember, I was flying through the air, with magic swirling around me. I hope everyone else is safe.' He pressed on, hoping he'd find what he was looking for soon, and a way out shortly after. His family would be searching for him, and he didn't want them to get too worried.

The caves were getting warmer with every step he took. He guessed he was deep in the earth, but he couldn't be sure. There was also that rumble that came and went, occasionally accompanied by a groan of what sounded like pain. Whatever it was, he was getting closer. It was also getting brighter in the tunnels. 'This must be what I'm looking for,' he thought as he approached another corner.

Alek turned the final corner, and came out into a large cavern. Most of the floor was molten, flowing rock, but the middle was large, flat, and solid, like an island at sea. A small pathway led out to the island of rock. On the island laid Magnar the dragon, its wings destroyed, its scales melted partially away. It breathed slowly, and every exhale brought a hiss of pain.

As he approached, the dragon turned its head toward him. It huffed loudly and tried to rise, struggling and falling once more. With effort, it tried again, and this time managed to remain standing. "Boy, I see you've come. You have succeeded in trapping me and have come for the kill. Let us finish this," it said as it rose, the flame seething at its nostrils again. It opened its maw wide and released a massive ball of dragon fire with a roar.

Alek leapt aside, rolling and regaining his feet as the ball of fire passed him by and splashed into the molten rock behind him. "You'll have to do better than that, dragon!" he shouted defiantly, pointing Frostbite at Magnar. Using his magic, he broke a huge stone pillar loose from the ceiling of the chamber and dropped it onto the dragon, dazing it. Taking the opportunity, he ran and jumped, climbing his way to the dragon's back. 'I should be safe from dragon flame here,' he thought quickly.

The dragon bucked and roared, the echo of its voice bringing more rocks and pillars down from above, most splashing into the molten rock around them. Alek managed to hold tight to the dragon despite its efforts to throw him off. When the dragon paused for a moment, he sliced downward with Frostbite, the blade cutting cleanly through the warped and brittle scales on the dragon's back. He saw the exposed skin beneath, but didn't have a chance to strike again.

His first slice made the dragon thrash about more, its efforts to throw Alek off redoubled. He clung on, nearly losing his grip on the beast's back. With another thrash, he found himself tossed sideways, dangling from its side. After being slammed into its side a few times, he finally managed to use the dragon's momentum to fling himself back onto its back, straddling it, Frostbite held point down in both hands. Using all of his strength and the moment between the dragon's bucks, he plunged the sword deep into its back, the point of the sword entering its heart.

Calling his magic, he shoved it along the blade and into the beast's heart, crystallizing it and turning it to stone. The dragon screamed in agony as its heart changed, setting off a chain reaction that ran and spread along its veins; the entire beast began turning to stone. Alek pulled the sword from its back and leapt free, barely landing on the small island as the dragon thrashed around violently before it finally came to rest, its scales turning the same gray as the stone of the island. With a final exhale, Magnar died.

The ground rumbled again, and the molten rock around him began to churn and rise. Large chunks of stone began falling from the ceiling, crashing everywhere around him. Alek turned and ran off the island and along the stone bridge. It began to crumble and sink under his feet, and he began to think he wouldn't make it to safety.

A few paces away from safety, a large boulder crashed through the bridge directly in front of him, smashing out a huge section. Alek managed to leap onto it and climb over, but it was too late. The rest of the bridge gave way, and he was left trapped on a sinking rock. A loud crack sounded above him, and he looked up. He could do nothing but scream as the large section of the ceiling rushed down to meet him.

-

Alek sat bolt upright, the covers flying off of him as he screamed. He looked around and saw icy blue walls and the fire smoldering beside him, then remembered the weight of Frostbite in his hand. He raised the blade, and stared at it in shock. The blue steel gleamed in the dim light, covered in a green and black goo. Dragon's blood.

His parents and Klara ran into the shelter and gathered on the floor around him, all of them asking if he was okay and telling him that everything would be alright. His mother pulled him to her and held him, weeping. "Alek! Oh thank goodness! We were starting to fear you wouldn't wake!" she sobbed. His father put his arms around them both. He made no noise, but Alek could feel the sobs of relief. Klara sat by his feet, tears flowing down her cheeks as she smiled, glad her cousin had returned.

After a moment, his father leaned back and looked down at the sword, a frown on his face. "What is this?" he asked as he lifted it and examined the goo on the blade. "Is this...blood? Dragon blood?"

Alek nodded silently. He felt too exhausted to explain what had happened, and his mother was still holding him tightly. His father stared at him, waiting patiently for an explanation.

After a few more minutes, Alek sat up straight. He collected his thoughts and let out a sigh, then began. "After the dragon flame hit me, I found myself underground in a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers. I wandered, and finally ended up in a chamber of molten rock with an island in the middle. There I met the dragon we'd just fought, its wings burned away. It rose and we fought. I finally killed it by using Frostbite to turn it to stone. But I didn't escape. The room began collapsing, and my escape was cut off. The last thing I remember was the roof caving in on me," he finished, shuddering at the last memory.

His father simply nodded and wiped the blade in the snow. The blood came off cleanly, though it melted deeper into the snow. "I don't know how this happened, but I'm going to guess that we've seen the last of Magnar," he thought aloud. The relief was apparent on his face. "If you feel strong enough, Alek, we should return to Arendelle. We all have wounds that could use a doctor's touch."

When Alek nodded, his father rose and sheathed Frostbite. His mother helped him up, and they all filed out of the shelter. Alek limped, and his parents moved to help him walk. The horses waited outside, packed and ready to go. They helped Alek onto his horse, then mounted up and began the long, slow decent toward the city.

-

They returned under cover of darkness, while most of the city was asleep. Kristoff and Anna met them in the stables and helped them dismount. They'd already informed Kai that the family would be returning due to issues with the summer palace. They'd also informed the doctor that he may be needed. When three of them strode into the infirmary with Alek being carried on a gurney by a few guards, the doctor knew he was in for a busy night.

Klara had received the fewest injuries with just a few scrapes. Elsa and Nik both had some burns, but they were minor, and a salve would heal them in a few days. The doctor focused his attention on Alek, who had taken the brunt of the final assault.

The final blast of magic that threw him down the side of the mountain had left Alek with bruises, cuts, and a leg injury that wasn't quite a full break of the bone. It was bad enough to require a splint and crutches, but the doctor assured them it should fully heal in a month, maybe two. Since he was still young, the dangers of complications or issues moving would be minimal.

-

"He's learning well," Nik commented as he and Elsa walked toward their rooms. Alek had spent several days in the infirmary, and had finally been allowed to return to his own room. "He'll make a good King one day. He risked his life twice to save us all."

She nodded in agreement. "He'll follow in your footsteps, Nik. You've been a good King as well. Did you ever doubt your son would be any different?" She looked up at him, smiling.

He stopped at their door and pulled her to him, his eyes suddenly blazing with desire. "I believe he gets it from you, _minn elska_ ," he told her with a smile. "He has an amazing mother." With a mischievous glint in his eyes, he continued, "Who I believe I'm going to take into this bedroom and ravish. Right. Now." He reached out and opened the door, then pulled her through with him. He picked her up by the waist and kissed her hard as he kicked the door shut with a resounding bang, then carried her to the bed. 

-

"Hey, Alek, be careful!" Klara yelled as she rushed over and caught him before he fell off the stairs. She helped him upright, then grabbed his crutches and gave them back to him. "I don't think you're ready for stairs alone yet, cousin. Remember the other day going DOWN?

He frowned. He'd been trying for days, ever since they let him return to his room, and still couldn't get the hang of the crutches. "I think you're right," he admitted. "I guess I'm just a bit too clumsy still. I'll probably get good with them just before I'm done with them." He smiled at her then. "Hey, at least I'm not trying to slide down the railings anymore."

She laughed and smiled at him. "Yeah, that's about the story of your life. You finally learn just before it's too late," she teased. He chuckled at her verbal jab.

"Klara, is there any way you could help me?" he asked, his tone now sincere. "I mean stay beside me, and help me with doors and stairs? Please?" he pleaded.

Klara smiled brightly. "As if I'd be anywhere else." With that, she took his crutches and put an arm around him, helping him climb toward the family wing.

-

A week later, at the annual mid-spring celebration, the kingdom of Arendelle and the Northern Alliance would be celebrating the coming summer. The following week saw the anniversary of their King and Queen's wedding, meaning two weeks of celebrations for the kingdom. The preparations had gone on uninterrupted during the battle with Magnar at the North Mountain; most of the kingdom was completely unaware that a battle had even occurred.

The royal family would be celebrating much more than summer and a wedding anniversary this year. They would be celebrating family. They would be celebrating life. They all prayed that this new peace would last longer than the last, and hoped that it would rival the peace that followed the formation of the Northern Alliance two and a half centuries prior.

-

Granpabbie smiled as he watched the sky talk. It showed him the events of the battle for the North Mountain and the kingdom, and he was pleased. The sister who wasn't stood once again by the Namesake, and the Queen of Ice and the King of Storms were relatively unscathed. They would all heal, and be stronger for it.

But it wasn't over. This threat was defeated, but this was simply a lull in the storm. No, more trials were still to come. And he was harboring a secret, a terrible secret that he would reveal when the time was right. Until then, it was best to keep it to himself.

-

A dark sorceress named Rebeckha looked out the window of her castle, anger and pain in her eyes. Her mother had passed years ago from some kind of disease that no one could stop. Now, her father and brother had been slain by the royal family. She and her sister had been left in hiding, and she'd married the Lord of the neighboring territory. She didn't love him; the marriage was a sham, and she'd gotten rid of him almost immediately.

Now she ruled an entire territory. It would've been enough, until her father was murdered at the hand of the Crown Prince. Now, she wouldn't stop until she ruled the kingdom and the royal family was disposed of. And as for her sister...well, they never did like each other. Once she ruled, she could deal with her sister. One more casualty wouldn't mean much.

-

"Your highness," the royal herald of Valsparta said softly as he approached. "Your father, sir, he has succumbed to his illness. The Council is looking for you." He bowed respectfully and waited for the Prince to respond.

Balthazar turned away from his desk and stared at the man. "The King is dead then? My daughter will be upset. I'll need to spend time with her later. In the meantime, let's go see the council." He rose from his chair and strode purposefully from his study, the herald following close behind.

They entered the Council chambers and found the members standing at their seats. Each one bowed their heads to the Prince and muttered their condolences as he passed. When he reached the head of the table, he addressed them all. "Gentlemen, I won't keep you long," he told them quickly, anxious to get to his next meeting. "My father, the King, has succumbed to his illness. We will need to make arrangements for his funeral."

His Foreign Minister spoke first. "The Council stands ever ready to serve, your highness." The man paused, then stood straighter. "Or should I say, Your Majesty. Long live King Balthazar!" His statement was echoed by everyone else in the room, except one. A lone figure stood in the shadows of the corner, the hood of his cape up to avoid being recognized.

Balthazar smiled at the Council and nodded. "Make the arrangements for my father's funeral. The coronation ceremony will follow the next day," he ordered. "The kingdom must have leadership. You're all excused." He gestured toward the door, and the Council bowed and left.

The man in the hooded cloak stepped from the shadows when the door closed, and Balthazar turned to face him. "Congratulations, King Balthazar," the young man almost sneered. "I trust he died in a manner that won't arouse suspicion?"

The new King glared at the young man in front of him. "Indeed he did. I suppose you're the one I have to thank for it? You're the one who offered your services in writing?" When the cloaked man nodded, he continued. "Might I get your name, or at least see your face? And what can I offer you in return?"

Even shrouded in darkness, Balthazar could see the man smile as he reached up to push back his hood. When it fell, the older man stepped back, his eyes wide as he momentarily felt a sense of déjà vu; the red hair and piercing green eyes were unmistakeable. "No. It can't be you. You're dead. He ran you through with that blue blade of his."

The young man laughed heartily. "Ahh, my good King Balthazar," he chuckled. "You look as though you've seen a ghost. You have nothing to fear, trust me. My father is most definitely dead, and left my mother and I here to rot in your kingdom. My name," he paused for a moment, then continued, "is Haakon. And I want you to help me reclaim what should have been mine. Together, we will have vengeance on those who have wronged both of us. Then, with the threat out of the way, we will conquer the world."

Balthazar's hand when instinctively to his neck, tracing the scar that ran down to his shoulder. After a moment's consideration, he offered his hand to the younger man. "Haakon, it would be my pleasure to help you in any way I can. Valsparta is pleased to offer you aid."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another rather steamy scene between Nik and Elsa was left out here. To read it, head over to chapter 6 of Rushed Wedding, Unrushed Love, 'The Threat is Gone, But Love Remains.' To understand Alek's comment about sliding down the railing, you would have to read that chapter. Otherwise, enjoy!


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